Can California Traffic School Hide Reckless Driving From Your Record

How about we answer that question that brought you here? Can California traffic school mask reckless driving? A short answer is: no. And here’s why. California traffic school can do two things for you, mask one point from your driving record and keep your auto insurance premium from rising.

You see, the state of California differentiates infractions and misdemeanors. Violations like speeding and running a red light are considered infractions and excessive speeding, driving under the influence, and reckless driving are misdemeanors. However, reckless driving can also be a felony if a driver causes bodily harm.

You might have noticed reckless driving includes excessive speeding, what does that mean? Well, speeding five or ten miles per hour over the speed limit is an infraction and as such, maskable by California traffic school. However, if you are speeding 15 miles per hour or more over the speed limit, that is considered reckless driving.

Excessive speeding makes your vehicle much harder to control and you are more likely to hurt someone or yourself.

As you read above, California traffic school can only mask one point, and that means infractions. You still can do traffic school as a way to reduce your auto insurance premium if you are eligible for another violation, but the school will not mask reckless driving and it will appear on future background checks.

There are two main reasons why this is the case. 

1. Reckless driving is extremely dangerous because it can quickly get out of hand. You are putting in danger yourself and everyone else on the road, including pedestrians. What might have seemed like a cool little race, can quickly transform into an ugly accident.

2. You're doing it consciously! This means you know what is happening, you know you are engaging in reckless driving because that is what you learn in drivers education. And you also know how dangerous it is. 

This is why there is no excuse when it comes to reckless driving.

Running a red light after a hard day’s work is not acceptable but it can be understood. Speeding also, five miles per hour over the speed limit is hard to notice when you are tired. That is why both violations are viewed as infractions.

These offenses are not a joke and they can be avoided if you are focused and driving safely, but reckless driving is something else. You are consciously doing something that could, very quickly, cause terrible damage. That is why reckless driving is a serious offense, and why you should never engage in it.