Under some states' reckless driving laws, your speed factors into whether you face a charge for reckless driving, or a charge for a lesser offense, such as speeding. Some state laws consider exceeding the speed limit by a certain amount to automatically fall within the category of acts described as reckless driving. For instance, some state laws provide that driving at a rate of speed that is more than 25 miles per hour over the posted speed limit automatically results in a reckless driving charge. If a police officer pulls you over for speeding at a lower rate of speed, such as five or ten miles per hour over the posted speed limit, you likely face only a speeding ticket, as opposed to a reckless driving charge. Unlike a reckless driving conviction, a speeding ticket will simply result in the payment of a fine in most circumstances, although consequences can be more severe in some states if you have repeatedly violated speed limits in the past.