Ala. Pattern Jury Instr. (Criminal) 32-5A-190_RECKLESSDRIVING

Reckless Driving

The Defendant is charged with reckless driving.

A person commits the crime of reckless driving if he/she drives a vehicle

carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard for the rights or safety of

persons or property, or without due caution and circumspection and at a speed

or in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to endanger any person or

property.

To convict, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt each one of

the following elements:

The Defendant drove a vehicle: [Read as appropriate]

(A) Carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard for

the rights or safety of persons or property; (OR)

(B) Without due caution and circumspection and at a speed or

in a manner so as to endanger or be likely to endanger any

person or property.

A vehicle is every device in, upon, or by which any individual or property

is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices moved by

human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks or electric

personal assistive mobility devices. [32-1-1.1(88)]

[Read as appropriate] A bicycle, an electric bicycle, or a ridden animal is

a vehicle. [32-1-1.1(88)]

[Read as appropriate]: A willful act is an act done intentionally, knowingly,

and purposely, without justifiable excuse, as distinguished from an act done

carelessly, thoughtlessly, heedlessly, or inadvertently. [Padgett v. State, 56 So.

2d 116, 117 (Ala. App. 1952)]

[Read as appropriate]: Wantonness is conduct which is carried on with a

reckless or conscious disregard of the rights or safety of others. [6–11–20(b)(3)]

A person acts recklessly with respect to a result or to a circumstance when

he/ she is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk

that the risk will occur or that the circumstance exists. The risk must be of such

nature and degree that disregard thereof constitutes a gross deviation from the

standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation.

[13A-2-2(3)]

If you find from the evidence that the State has proved beyond a

reasonable doubt each of the elements of reckless driving, then you shall find

the defendant guilty of reckless driving.

If you find that the State has failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt

one or more of the above elements of reckless driving, then you cannot find the

defendant guilty of reckless driving.

[Approved 09/26/25]