Alabama Reckless Driving Laws: Penalties, Points and Speed (2026)

Alabama makes reckless driving a misdemeanor under Code of Alabama Section 32-5A-190: a first conviction carries 5 to 90 days in jail, a fine of $25 to $500, or both, and a second or later conviction carries 10 days to six months, a fine of $50 to $500, or both. The section sets no speed at which driving becomes reckless by itself, applies on private property as well as highways, and a conviction adds 6 points to an Alabama driver's license under the state point-system rule.

Information last verified on 2026-10-25. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Alabama state statutes on reckless driving (Code of Alabama 32-5A-190), the speed rules, racing and sideshows, fleeing or eluding, the license points and suspension rules of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and driving without a valid license. It does not cover DUI penalties (see Alabama DUI laws), homicide offenses (see Alabama manslaughter laws), leaving the scene of a crash (see Alabama hit-and-run laws), city ordinances, or federal and commercial-driver rules beyond a short note. For other states, see reckless driving laws by state.

What is reckless driving in Alabama?

Section 32-5A-190(a) of the Code of Alabama defines the offense:

"(a) Any person who drives any 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, shall be guilty of reckless driving." Ala. Code 32-5A-190(a)

The definition has two alternative forms, joined by "or":

• Willful or wanton driving. Driving "carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard for the rights or safety of persons or property."
• Endangering driving. Driving "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." This form has two parts joined by "and": a lack of due caution, plus a speed or manner that endangers or is likely to endanger someone or something.

The word "reckless" in the traffic statute is not the same as the general definition in Alabama's criminal code. Section 13A-2-2(3) says a person acts "recklessly" when "he is aware of and consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk," and the disregard must be "a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe in the situation." Section 32-5A-190 does not use that test; it uses its own wording, quoted above.

Where the reckless driving law applies

Most of Alabama's Rules of the Road Act applies only on highways. Section 32-5A-2 makes an exception: the provisions of the chapter on the operation of vehicles "refer exclusively to the operation of vehicles upon highways except," among other listed exceptions, "Sections 32-5A-190 through 32-5A-195 shall apply upon highways and elsewhere throughout the state." Reckless driving therefore applies off the highway too, for example in a parking lot.

Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Alabama? Penalties

Yes. Section 32-5A-8(a) makes it "a misdemeanor for any person to violate any of the provisions of this chapter or of Title 32," unless another law declares the violation a felony, and Section 32-5A-190(b) sets the reckless driving penalty:

• First conviction: "imprisonment for a period of not less than five days nor more than 90 days, or by fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $500.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment."
• Second or subsequent conviction: "imprisonment for not less than 10 days nor more than six months, or by a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00, or by both such fine and imprisonment."
• Driving ban (discretionary): "the court may prohibit the person so convicted from driving a motor vehicle on the public highways of this state for a period not exceeding six months," and the license is then suspended for that period under Section 32-5A-195.

Reckless driving carries no Class A, B or C misdemeanor label. Its range comes from Section 32-5A-190(b) itself, not from the class ranges in Title 13A. Section 32-5A-190 has no injury or property-damage tier and no felony form; when reckless conduct injures or kills someone, other statutes apply (see the table and the homicide note below).

Move-over violations combined with reckless driving

Alabama's Move Over Act, Section 32-5A-58.2(c)(2), provides that if a driver violates that section "while also in violation" of listed sections, including Section 32-5A-190 (reckless driving), Section 32-5A-191 (DUI) and Section 32-5A-178 (racing), "the driver shall receive, at a minimum, a fine or sentence double the minimum penalty otherwise provided by law." A move-over violation on its own is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $200, $250 on a second violation, and $300 on a third or later violation, with a court-ordered suspension of not less than 90 days on the third (32-5A-58.2(c)(1)).

Work zones

Section 32-5A-176.1(a) makes any violation of Chapter 5 or Chapter 5A of Title 32, which includes reckless driving, a construction zone moving violation when it is committed in a construction zone designated by the Department of Transportation or a political subdivision, while construction or maintenance workers are present and performing work, and with work zone traffic control devices, traffic controls or warning signs present. On conviction the driver "shall be assessed a fine of the greater of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or double the amount prescribed by law outside a construction zone" (32-5A-176.1(c)).

How fast is reckless driving in Alabama?

Alabama sets no speed at which driving becomes reckless driving by itself. The speed sections of the Rules of the Road Act (Sections 32-5A-170 through 32-5A-180) contain no rule that turns driving a set number of miles per hour over the limit, or above a fixed speed, into reckless driving or into a separate criminal-speeding offense. Speed appears in Section 32-5A-190 only as part of its general elements ("at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger").

Speed is regulated instead by two rules:

• Reasonable and prudent speed. Section 32-5A-170: "No person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and having regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing."
• Maximum limits. Section 32-5A-171 makes the limits it sets "maximum lawful speeds," and "no person shall drive a vehicle at a speed in excess of the maximum limits."

A speeding charge must state the speed the driver is alleged to have driven and the maximum speed at that location (32-5A-177(a)). Under the ALEA point rule, speeding 1 to 25 mph over the limit is 2 points and speeding 26 or more over is 5 points (Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.07(1)(k)-(l)).

Reckless driving points and license suspension in Alabama

Points. Section 32-6-17.3(a) directs ALEA to "add points to an individual's driver license for any traffic violation for which the individual has received a final conviction," and defines a final conviction as "a judicial finding of guilt or a plea of guilty" (32-6-17.3(b)(1)). The point values are set by an ALEA rule, not by a statute. Alabama Administrative Code rule 760-X-1-.07(1)(b) assigns:

• reckless driving or reckless endangerment involving operating a motor vehicle: 6 points;
• failure to yield right of way: 5 points; passing a stopped school bus: 5 points;
• wrong side of road or illegal passing: 4 points;
• following too closely, or disregarding traffic control devices: 3 points;
• all other moving violations: 2 points.

Point suspensions. The same rule suspends a license by the number of points within a two-year period: 60 days for 12 to 14 points, 90 days for 15 to 17, 120 days for 18 to 20, 180 days for 21 to 23, and 365 days for 24 or more. Convictions "retain their point value for suspension purposes for a period of two years from the date of conviction" (r. 760-X-1-.07(5)).

Court-ordered suspension. As noted above, the court "may" bar a person convicted of reckless driving from driving for up to six months (32-5A-190(b)). That is discretionary.

Mandatory revocation for three reckless convictions. Section 32-5A-195(j) provides that the secretary "shall revoke the license of any driver upon receiving a record of the driver's conviction" of listed offenses, including "(7) Conviction upon three charges of reckless driving committed within a period of 12 months" and "(4) Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used."

Discretionary suspension without a hearing. Under Section 32-5A-195(k), the secretary "may suspend the license of a driver without preliminary hearing" on a showing that the licensee, among other grounds, "Is an habitually reckless or negligent driver of a motor vehicle, such fact being established by a record of accidents or by other evidence," has been convicted of serious moving offenses with such frequency "as to indicate a disrespect for traffic laws and a disregard for the safety of other persons on the highways," "Has been convicted of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer," or "Has been convicted of racing on the highways."

What counts as a conviction. For the license article, Section 32-5A-195(i) treats "an unvacated forfeiture of bail or collateral," "a plea of nolo contendere accepted by the court, the payment of a fine, a plea of guilty, or a finding of guilt of a traffic violation charge" as "equivalent to a conviction regardless of whether the penalty is rebated, suspended, or probated."

Drivers under 18

Section 32-6-7.2(e) applies to a person driving with the restricted privileges that Section 32-6-7.2(c) provides for young drivers. That person's license "shall be automatically suspended for 60 days unless the Alabama Rules of the Road provide a more serious penalty" if, during the restricted period, the person is convicted of a second moving traffic violation or of failure to give information or render aid, racing, fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, reckless driving, illegal passing, driving on the wrong side of the road, "or any other offense where four or more points are assessed."

Commercial driver's licenses

Section 32-6-49.3(21) defines a "serious traffic violation" as "A conviction when operating a commercial motor vehicle" of, among other offenses, reckless driving as defined under Section 32-5A-190 or any other state or local law, and excessive speeding of 15 mph or more above the posted limit. Under Section 32-6-49.11(f), a person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for not less than 60 days on two such violations, or 120 days on three, "committed in a commercial motor vehicle arising from separate incidents occurring within a three-year period." Federal rule 49 C.F.R. 383.51 (Table 2) also counts a second or third serious traffic violation in a non-commercial vehicle within three years, but only if the conviction results in a revocation, cancellation or suspension of the license or non-commercial driving privileges; the reckless driving laws by state hub covers the federal layer.

Is there a careless driving law in Alabama?

Sections 32-5A-170 through 32-5A-200 of the Rules of the Road Act, which hold the speed rules, racing, reckless driving and DUI, contain no offense named careless, negligent, inattentive or aggressive driving. The reckless driving section itself begins with the words "carelessly and heedlessly," and its second form (driving "without due caution and circumspection" in an endangering way) is the closest Alabama comes to a careless-driving rule.

Below reckless driving, a ticket rests on an ordinary rule of the road such as the reasonable-and-prudent speed rule in Section 32-5A-170. Section 32-5A-8(b) sets the general penalty where "another penalty is not provided": for a first conviction "a fine of not more than $100.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 10 days," rising to $200 or 30 days for a second offense within one year of the first, and $500 or three months for a third or later offense within one year of the first. Most such moving violations carry 2 points under rule 760-X-1-.07.

Street racing in Alabama

Section 32-5A-178(a) makes it a violation "for any person to drive any vehicle on any public highway in any race, speed competition or contest, drag race or acceleration contest, test of physical endurance, exhibition of speed or acceleration, or for the purpose of making a speed record." Section 32-5A-178(b) defines a drag race as two or more vehicles operated "from a point side by side at accelerating speeds in a competitive attempt to outdistance each other," or one or more vehicles over a common course to compare their speed or power of acceleration.

The penalties in Section 32-5A-178(d) are fixed fines with a jail term that the statute itself suspends in favor of probation:

• First conviction: a fine of $500 and imprisonment of 5 to 90 days, "provided that the sentence of imprisonment shall be suspended and, in lieu thereof, the person shall serve 30 days probation."
• Second conviction: a fine of $3,000 and imprisonment of 10 days to six months, suspended in favor of six months of probation.
• Third or subsequent conviction: a fine of $6,000 and imprisonment of up to one year, suspended in favor of one year of probation.

Other racing consequences:

• Driving ban. Section 32-5A-178(e) provides that on a first conviction "the court shall prohibit" the person from driving on Alabama's public highways "for a period not exceeding six months," and on a second or subsequent conviction "for a period not exceeding one year"; the license is suspended for that period.
• Impound on arrest. Under Section 32-5A-178(f)(1), a person arrested for racing "shall be immediately removed from the vehicle," and the vehicle, "regardless of ownership," "shall be impounded," except that an officer may elect not to impound in "an emergency or medical necessity jeopardizing life or limb." The owner reclaims it by paying the towing and storage fees.
• Organizers and spectators. Section 32-5A-178(g) also makes it a violation to participate "as an organizer or spectator." A spectator is a person who bought a ticket or "is otherwise knowingly present at and views the race or drag race as the result of an affirmative choice to attend or remain"; a person "merely in the vicinity" is not in violation. Organizers and spectators are punished under the general penalty in Section 32-5A-8, "except no imprisonment shall be ordered."
• License suspension. A racing conviction is a ground for discretionary suspension without a hearing (32-5A-195(k)(8)) and an automatic 60-day suspension for a restricted young driver (32-6-7.2(e)).

Sideshows, burnouts and donuts: Section 13A-11-300

Alabama added a separate criminal offense for street takeovers in 2023. Section 13A-11-300(b)(1) provides that "A person shall not engage in, aid or abet the furtherance of, or give consent for his or her vehicle to be used in," any of the following "on a public road or highway, off street parking facility, or any other parcel of public or private property, without the consent of the owner of that property": a motor vehicle speed contest, a motor vehicle exhibition of speed, a motor vehicle sideshow, or "a motor vehicle burnout, motor vehicle donut, or other reckless driving maneuver." Under Section 13A-11-300(b)(2), a person is deemed to consent to the use of a vehicle "if the person knew, or should have reasonably known based on the totality of the circumstances," that it would be used to commit a violation.

The grades in Section 13A-11-300(c)-(d):

• First violation: Class C misdemeanor; the court "may" bar the person from driving for up to six months.
• Second or subsequent violation: Class B misdemeanor; the same discretionary driving ban.
• Bodily injury to another, or property damage: if a person operating a vehicle in violation "proximately causes bodily injury to another individual, or the offense proximately causes damage to any property," Class A misdemeanor, and the court "shall" bar driving for six months.
• Serious physical injury: if the offense proximately causes serious physical injury to a person other than the driver, Class C felony, and the court "shall" bar driving for two years.
• Death: if the offense proximately causes death to any person, Class B felony, and the court "shall" bar driving for not less than two years.

Under Section 13A-11-300(f)(1), when an officer observes a vehicle in violation, or an automated photographic or video traffic enforcement system records it, the officer "may" have the vehicle towed and impounded at the registered owner's expense "for not less than 48 hours," and a court may extend that period. Under Section 13A-11-300(f)(2), if a person "has been convicted of three or more violations of this section," the vehicle operated in the offense "shall be seized and forfeited" under Section 20-2-93.

Fleeing or eluding police in a vehicle

Section 13A-10-52(b), as amended by Act 2026-382 effective October 1, 2026, makes it unlawful for a person, while operating a motor vehicle on a street, road, alley or highway, "to intentionally flee or attempt to elude a law enforcement officer after having received a signal from the officer to bring the vehicle to a stop." Under the amended text:

• Class D felony: a violation of Subsection (b) (13A-10-52(c)(2)).
• Class C felony: if the flight causes the offender to strike or collide with another vehicle or a pedestrian, causes physical injury to another person, crosses the state line, takes place with a child under 14 in the vehicle, occurs while the offender is on bail, probation, parole, community corrections or work release, or the offender has one previous conviction under the section (13A-10-52(c)(3)).
• Class B felony: if the flight causes serious physical injury or death to another person, the person "exceeds 20 miles per hour over the legal maximum speed limit," the offender strikes or attempts to strike a law enforcement officer or an officer's vehicle, or the offender has two or more previous convictions under the section (13A-10-52(c)(4)).
• License and confinement: on conviction "the court shall order the suspension of the driver license of the defendant for a period of not less than six months nor more than two years" (13A-10-52(d)(1)); a second conviction within five years carries "a minimum of 90 days confinement," and a third or later within seven years "a minimum of 180 days confinement" (13A-10-52(d)(2)-(3)).

Separately, Section 32-5A-195(j)(4) requires the secretary to revoke a license on a conviction of "Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used."

Reckless endangerment

Section 13A-6-24, the general reckless endangerment offense, does not mention vehicles, but the ALEA point rule assigns 6 points to "reckless endangerment involving operating a motor vehicle." As amended by Act 2026-401 effective October 1, 2026, recklessly engaging in conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another individual is a Class A misdemeanor, and doing so to multiple individuals is a Class C felony, or a Class B felony "if the person uses a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument in the commission of the offense" (13A-6-24(a)-(b)).

Is there a wet reckless in Alabama?

Alabama's DUI statute treats reckless driving as a separate offense, not a reduced form of DUI. Section 32-5A-191(l) provides that "Neither reckless driving nor any other traffic infraction is a lesser included offense under a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or of a controlled substance," and Section 32-5A-190(c) says the same from the reckless side: "Neither reckless driving nor any other moving violation under this chapter is a lesser included offense under a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs."

Section 32-5A-191 mentions reckless driving nowhere else, and its prior-offense rule counts "a prior conviction for driving under the influence" within 10 years of the current offense (32-5A-191(p)(1)), not a prior reckless driving conviction. Neither section contains a provision on an alcohol-related reckless driving plea. For DUI penalties, see Alabama DUI laws.

Driving without a license in Alabama

Alabama separates three situations.

Never licensed or not licensed for the vehicle. Section 32-6-1(a) requires every person not specifically exempted to "procure a driver's license before driving a motor vehicle upon the highways of this state," and a new resident must get an Alabama license within 30 days. Under Section 32-6-18(a), a person who drives on a public highway "without first having complied with this article" is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by "a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100)." Section 32-6-18(a) also imposes "an additional penalty of fifty dollars ($50)."

License not in possession. Section 32-6-9(a) requires a licensee to have the license "in his or her immediate possession at all times when driving" and to display it on demand of a judge, peace officer or state trooper. The section also provides that "no person charged with violating this section shall be convicted if he or she produces in court or the office of the arresting officer a driver's license theretofore issued to him or her and valid at the time of his or her arrest."

Suspended, revoked, cancelled or denied. Under Section 32-6-19(a)(1), driving while a license or privilege is "cancelled, denied, suspended, or revoked" is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $100 to $500, and the person "in addition thereto may be imprisoned for not more than 180 days." The section adds an "additional penalty of fifty dollars ($50)" and allows an additional revocation period of six months at the licensing official's discretion.

Section 32-6-19(b) adds an impound rule. A person who drives while the license is revoked for any reason, or suspended as a consequence of a DUI-related offense or a failure to comply with the implied consent law, "shall be immediately removed from the vehicle," and the vehicle "shall be impounded," except when the owner or a family member of the owner is present and presents a valid driver's license, or in an emergency or medical necessity.

Alabama reckless driving and related offenses: penalty table

The class ranges come from Title 13A. Misdemeanor jail terms are set by Section 13A-5-7(a) (Class A not more than one year, Class B not more than six months, Class C not more than three months) and misdemeanor fines by Section 13A-5-12(a) (Class A up to $6,000, Class B up to $3,000, Class C up to $500). Felony terms are set by Section 13A-5-6(a) (Class B 2 to 20 years, Class C one year and one day to 10 years, Class D one year and one day to five years) and felony fines by Section 13A-5-11(a) (Class B up to $30,000, Class C up to $15,000, Class D up to $7,500). Reckless driving and highway racing are exceptions: their penalties come from their own sections. For the full class table, see Alabama felony and misdemeanor classes.

Vehicular homicide in Alabama

When driving causes a death, the governing Alabama offenses include homicide by vehicle (Section 32-5A-190.1) and criminally negligent homicide (Section 13A-6-4), covered on the Alabama manslaughter laws page.

Recent changes to Alabama reckless driving and racing laws

• 2023: sideshow offense created. Act 2023-174 (effective August 1, 2023) added Section 13A-11-300 on speed contests, exhibitions of speed, sideshows, burnouts and donuts.
• 2023: points statute. Act 2023-337 added Section 32-6-17.3, which directs ALEA to add points for any traffic violation with a final conviction.
• 2024: sideshow amendments. Act 2024-323 (effective May 9, 2024) amended Section 13A-11-300, adding the rule that lending a vehicle counts as consent to its use, automated-enforcement impound and the 48-hour minimum impound period.
• 2024: move-over amendment. Act 2024-295 amended Section 32-5A-58.2.
• 2023: fleeing tiers. Act 2023-489 (effective September 1, 2023) amended Section 13A-10-52 to add Class C and Class B felony tiers for fleeing that causes a collision, physical injury, serious physical injury or death, crosses the state line, or exceeds the limit by more than 20 mph.
• October 1, 2026: fleeing and reckless endangerment. Act 2026-382 amended Section 13A-10-52 to raise fleeing or eluding in a motor vehicle from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony and to add further Class C and Class B tiers and minimum confinement for repeat convictions, and Act 2026-401 amended Section 13A-6-24, which now makes reckless endangerment of multiple individuals a felony. Both took effect October 1, 2026.
• Reckless driving itself. Section 32-5A-190 has not been amended since its enactment in Acts 1980, No. 80-434, and the racing section was last amended by Act 2015-318.

Related Alabama laws

• Reckless driving laws by state
• Alabama DUI laws
• Alabama manslaughter laws
• Alabama felony and misdemeanor classes
• Alabama hit-and-run laws
• Alabama expungement laws

This article is general legal information about Alabama law, not legal advice. For a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Alabama, or the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency for driver's license questions.

Last updated: 2026-10-25.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is reckless driving a misdemeanor in Alabama?

Yes. Under Ala. Code 32-5A-8(a) and 32-5A-190(b), reckless driving is a misdemeanor. A first conviction carries 5 to 90 days, a $25 to $500 fine, or both; a second or later conviction carries 10 days to six months, $50 to $500, or both.

What counts as reckless driving in Alabama?

Section 32-5A-190(a) covers driving carelessly and heedlessly in willful or wanton disregard for the rights or safety of persons or property, or driving without due caution and circumspection at a speed or in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger any person or property.

How fast is reckless driving in Alabama?

Alabama sets no speed at which driving becomes reckless driving by itself. Speed is governed by the reasonable-and-prudent rule (32-5A-170) and the maximum limits (32-5A-171), and speeding 26 mph or more over the limit is 5 points under ALEA rule 760-X-1-.07.

How many points is reckless driving in Alabama?

Six points under Ala. Admin. Code r. 760-X-1-.07(1)(b). Points count for suspension purposes for two years from conviction, and 12 to 14 points within two years brings a 60-day suspension.

Does reckless driving suspend your license in Alabama?

A single conviction allows, but does not require, a court-ordered driving ban: the court may bar driving for up to six months (32-5A-190(b)); three reckless driving convictions for offenses within 12 months require revocation (32-5A-195(j)(7)); and a restricted driver under 18 faces an automatic 60-day suspension (32-6-7.2(e)).

Can reckless driving happen in a parking lot in Alabama?

Yes. Section 32-5A-2 makes Sections 32-5A-190 through 32-5A-195 apply upon highways and elsewhere throughout the state.

Is there a wet reckless in Alabama?

Alabama's DUI statute contains no wet reckless provision. Sections 32-5A-190(c) and 32-5A-191(l) say reckless driving is not a lesser included offense of DUI, and the DUI prior-offense rule counts prior DUI convictions.

Is a street takeover or sideshow illegal in Alabama?

Yes. Section 13A-11-300 makes a speed contest, exhibition of speed, sideshow, burnout or donut without the property owner's consent a Class C misdemeanor for a first violation, rising to a felony when it causes serious physical injury or death.

Is fleeing police a felony in Alabama?

Since October 1, 2026, yes. As amended by Act 2026-382, Section 13A-10-52 makes fleeing or eluding in a motor vehicle after a signal to stop a Class D felony, with Class C and Class B tiers, and requires a license suspension of six months to two years.

What is the penalty for driving without a license in Alabama?

Driving without complying with the licensing article is a misdemeanor with a fine of $10 to $100, plus a $50 additional penalty (32-6-18(a)). Driving while suspended or revoked is a misdemeanor with a $100 to $500 fine and up to 180 days in jail (32-6-19(a)(1)).