Yes. Reckless driving in Rhode Island is a criminal misdemeanor that carries possible jail time, license suspension, large insurance premium increases, and a permanent criminal record. The avoided insurance cost over 3 to 5 years often exceeds the legal fee multiple times over. An experienced defense lawyer can identify weaknesses in the prosecution case (radar calibration, officer observations, video evidence), negotiate reduction to a non-criminal infraction, or take the case to trial when the evidence is weak. Self-representation on a reckless driving charge usually produces a guilty plea to the original charge, with all the criminal record and insurance consequences that come with it.
