---
title: "Is reckless driving a criminal offense in Rhode Island?"
description: "Yes. Reckless driving is a criminal offense in Rhode Island, not a civil traffic ticket. It falls under the state's driving to endanger law, and a first offense is charged as a misdemeanor that is..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/is-reckless-driving-a-criminal-offense-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-08-14
modified: 2026-08-14
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# Is reckless driving a criminal offense in Rhode Island?

Yes. Reckless driving is a criminal offense in Rhode Island, not a civil traffic ticket. It falls under the state's driving to endanger law, and a first offense is charged as a misdemeanor that is prosecuted in District Court rather than the Traffic Tribunal. That means a conviction creates a criminal record, carries the possibility of jail, and can suspend your license. This is a key difference from a standard speeding ticket, which is a civil matter with no criminal record attached. Because reckless driving is criminal, how the case is handled from the first court date forward has real consequences, and it should not be treated like an ordinary ticket you can simply pay and forget.