What is Careless Driving in St. Louis, Missouri?

By The Cagle Law Firm | July 25, 2025 | News

If you are on the roadway in St. Louis, you usually see a lot of heavy traffic and honestly, some crazy stuff.  Have you ever wondered what exactly the legal term “careless and imprudent driving” means?   If you drive around St. Louis, you probably think you see it almost every day. You would not be wrong.  Because we represent those injured in car accidents, we see drivers who often confuse careless and reckless driving.  Careless driving is generally defined by negligence and distraction. Reckless driving involves a conscious disregard for safety.  So, some driving errors are made by mistake and without a disregard for safety.

What is Careless Driving?

Careless driving is a broad term that that describes quite a few unsafe driving behaviors.  Examples of careless driving include speeding, tailgating, failure to yield the right of way, and unsafe lane changes.  According to Missouri law, any driving conduct that disregards the safety of others may be considered careless and imprudent.  While many drivers think that because they did not intentionally  drive dangerously, they are not breaking the law.  Missouri law does not require intent for a careless driving charge.  Thus, speeding, unsafe lane changes and failure to yield can result in a careless and imprudent charge.

• Speeding-  driving to fast for road conditions or over the posted speed limit
• Tailgating or following another vehicle too closely
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Weaving in and out of traffic
• Disregarding pedestrian crossings

Missouri law requires that drivers must operate vehicles cautiously to avoid endangering others. Violations lead to fines, loss of license points, and increased insurance premiums.  Worse, careless driving can lead to car accidents. If you are engaging in one of these careless driving behaviors at the time of the crash, you can be held labile for the damages you cause.

Consequences for Careless Driving?

In Missouri, the penalties for careless and imprudent driving depend on the facts or circumstances of the incident:

Penalty without an incident:  Classified as a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and fines reaching $1,000.

Penalty with an incident: Elevated to a Class A misdemeanor, which can lead to one year in jail and up to $2000 in fines.

Of course, in any car accident that involves someone receiving a careless and imprudent charge, there are liability issues for injuries and property damage.  Convictions often result in four points on your driving record and may impact your ability to legally operate a motor vehicle.  A conviction will most certainly increase your insurance prices.  Suspension or revocation of your license can also occur. In some scenarios, you may not even be able to obtain high-risk auto insurance if you can afford those rates.

Anytime a person drives in a careless or reckless manner and it results in a motor vehicle crash, it is a problem for all involved.  When you are a driver that is cited for careless and imprudent driving, losing points on your license can be expensive but no doubt your insurance rates will be impacted.  If you are injured due to someone else’s careless or reckless driving, it is hard not to be angry. All of a sudden you have an injury to deal with not brought about by your own life choices.   Careless or reckless driving where someone is hurt is tragic because it is preventable. Whether the driver that hit you made a simple driving error or engaged in careless driving, the reality of your injury is the same. You still have to go through medical treatment and attempt to recover some normal in your life.

Negligence

A driver does not have to be cited with a careless and imprudent citation to be “negligent”.  Negligence is failure to us reasonable care, resulting in damage or injury to another.  Relatively safe drivers can make errors in operating their vehicle that is negligent but not careless or reckless.  The vast majority of motor vehicle incidents have a human cause. This means, the phrase that “accidents happen” is not really true. An accident by definition is an “event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause”.  A deer running into your path of travel is typically an accident. A driver failing to yield is a mistake, a crash or an incident.

Insurance- Managed Risk Sharing

We are all required by law to buy insurance. The concept is that we all pay into auto insurance so that when an incident occurs, the insurance carrier covers the costs of losses whether property or personal injury. It’s based on the concept that we all pay in a bit to cover risks.  If you are in a crash with another driver who failed to follow the rules of the roadway resulting in a collision with you, their insurance has an obligation to investigate your claim and cover your losses. Sounds really simple, right?  While it seems like it ought to be straight forward, it rarely is straight forward.  If you are physically injured, the other insurance carrier will often either argue fault/liability or the severity of your injury.  They may argue both regardless of how the crash happened or the severity of your injury.

Why Would You Need a Lawyer if the Other Driver Got a Citation?

Good question and it is one we answer daily.  As mentioned, the insurance industry has not become a multi-billion dollar industry because they pay out fair claims.  If you are not hurt and only have property damage, you probably do not need a lawyer.  However, if you are hurt and require medical treatment, you will need a lawyer for the very reason that auto insurance companies have not become exceedingly rich by paying our fair claims.

There are two parts to making an injury claim. One, liability or fault is often debated. Which party caused the crash or do multiple parties bear fault  Two, if liability or fault seems clear, the insurance carrier will usually claim that you are not that hurt, no matter how badly you are hurt.  Typically, few people have any idea of the severity of their injury in the first few days to weeks.  When you are physically injured in a motor vehicle crash, everything is overwhelming.  It is  a lot to absorb that you may have to seek treatment and specialists beyond a ER visit.

Most Common Questions Individuals Face in the First Few Days After a Crash:

1.What is the extent of my injuries?

2. How long will it take me to physically recover?

3. How much will it cost?

These three questions are the things that keep people awake at night with worry. They are valid questions and as personal injury attorneys, we would love to have those answers for you.  In reality, your doctors do not know all of those answers right away.  It is a process and honestly, not a fun process.  What service does an attorney actually provide you in this situation?  A lawyer guides you through the process of building your claim.  In some scenarios, we are an expert in your corner to help you navigate the medical process.   If you are injured, it is a process of seeking treatment, evaluating your progress, trying to get your work life back in order, and maintaining your family and social relationships while going through physical recovery.    Whether you begin your medical treatment with your primary care doctor or begin with an emergency room visit, physical recovery is a path  including ups and downs.  No one really learns about the medical recovery process in their spare time for fun.  You want a guide who is familiar with the medical process, responsive to your individual scenario, and a protector of your financial interests.

We Can Help

We help our injured clients.  If you are hurt, we are not going to try to tell you that it will be fun or easy.  If you are hurt, you have a ton of questions and worry about the future. Don’t navigate it on your own with the complications of an insurance adjuster.  An adjuster will have you uploading your medical records and bills so they can begin to build their case defending the denial or devaluation of your claim.  Don’t do that to yourself or your family.  We get results for our clients.

Call us toll free 1.800.685.3302 or locally 314.276.1681

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