Careless and Imprudent Driving Missouri: What It Means

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

If you searched careless and imprudent driving missouri, the short answer is that it is a charge for driving without “the highest degree of care” that RSMo 304.012 requires. Speeding is about going over the posted limit, while careless and imprudent driving is about how you drive at any speed. Under state law it is a class B misdemeanor, or class A if an accident is involved.

Key Facts

The rule: drivers must use “the highest degree of care” under RSMo 304.012. See what the law says.
The class: a class B misdemeanor, or class A if an accident is involved. See how the charge is classed.
The points: Form 899 lists 2 points, or 4 for the 304.016 line. See points.
Versus speeding: speeding is about the posted limit; this charge is about care. See the comparison.
The DIP: it can apply only if the court orders it, and never for CDL holders. See the DIP.

What the Law Says

The rule is in RSMo 304.012. Its heading is “Motorists to exercise highest degree of care.” People call a violation of it careless and imprudent driving, or C&I for short.

The section says every driver “shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner.” It adds that you must drive “at a rate of speed so as not to endanger the property of another or the life or limb of any person.” It ends with the key phrase: you “shall exercise the highest degree of care.”

So the law sets a standard of conduct, not a number. A driver can break it at any speed, including below the limit.

What Careless and Imprudent Driving Missouri Law Covers

The section has two parts today. The first is the duty of care described above. The second was added in 2025.

Since Aug. 28, 2025, RSMo 304.012 also says no driver “shall perform stunt driving” on Missouri roads and highways. That change came with a new stunt driving law, RSMo 304.145.

Under RSMo 304.145, stunt driving and street takeovers are their own offense:

First offense: a class B misdemeanor.
Second offense: a class A misdemeanor.
Third or later: a class E felony.

The statute does not list everyday examples of careless driving. Whether a given act fits the charge is decided in that case, by the court.

How the Charge Is Classed

Under state law, careless and imprudent driving is a misdemeanor. RSMo 304.012 says a violation is “a class B misdemeanor, unless an accident is involved then it shall be a class A misdemeanor.”

Two points stand out:

It is a misdemeanor. It is not an infraction under the state statute.
An accident raises the class. The statute says “an accident is involved.” It does not require an injury for class A.

The class sets the highest possible fine and jail term. Our guide to careless and imprudent driving fines lists those limits. For what a misdemeanor means for your record, see is careless and imprudent driving a misdemeanor.

Points for Careless and Imprudent Driving

The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) adds the points after a conviction. Its points list, DOR Form 899 (Revised 08-2026), shows two lines:

“Careless & Imprudent”: 2 points.
“Careless & Imprudent 304.016”: 4 points.

RSMo 302.302 gives 4 points for careless and imprudent driving under subsection 4 of section 304.016. It gives 2 points when the charge is under a county or city ordinance.

It is never 3 points. A court can also certify 2 more points if the violation causes injury or property damage.

Form 899 lists some similar-sounding items as separate violations. “Inattent/Negl/Careless Dr” and “Following too Close” are in its list of 2-point violations.

A stop sign violation is also a separate line. Each one is its own charge with its own entry, not a form of careless and imprudent driving.

Five steps from a careless and imprudent driving charge to the points on a Missouri DOR record

Careless and Imprudent Driving vs Speeding

The two charges answer different questions. Speeding asks whether you went over the posted limit. Careless and imprudent driving asks whether you drove with the highest degree of care.

Point of comparison	Speeding	Careless and imprudent driving
Statute	RSMo 304.010, speed limits	RSMo 304.012, highest degree of care
What it measures	Speed over the posted limit	How carefully you drove
State-law class	Class C; class B at 20+ mph over	Class B; class A with an accident
Points	3 (state law) or 2 (ordinance)	2, or 4 for the 304.016 line
DIP possible	Yes, if the court orders it	Yes, if the court orders it

RSMo 304.010 is the speed limit law. Since Aug. 28, 2026, it sets 75 mph on rural interstates and freeways.

Under state law, careless and imprudent driving is a higher class than ordinary speeding. Our Missouri speeding ticket guide covers speeding points and costs.

Summary card comparing careless and imprudent driving with speeding under Missouri law, by statute, class and stunt driving rule

State Charge or City Ordinance

A careless driving ticket can be written under state law or under a city or county ordinance. The ticket names which one applies.

The difference shows up in two places:

The class. The class B and class A rules come from the state statute, RSMo 304.012.
The points. RSMo 302.302 gives 2 points when the charge is under a county or city ordinance.

Read the charge line on your ticket. If it is unclear, the court named on the ticket can tell you.

How Points From This Charge Add Up

Points from careless and imprudent driving count the same way as other points. Under RSMo 302.304, they count from the conviction date.

The DOR acts at set levels:

4 points in 12 months: a point accumulation advisory letter.
8 points in 18 months: a suspension.
12 in 12, 18 in 24 or 24 in 36 months: a revocation.

For example, two 3-point state speeding convictions plus one 4-point careless and imprudent conviction in 18 months add 10 points. That passes the 8-point suspension level. See our guide to points and suspensions.

Who Handles the Case

The court named on your ticket handles a careless and imprudent charge. Each county has a circuit violations bureau under Supreme Court Rule 38.10.

Under that rule, full payment before the court date is a guilty plea. The Fine Collection Center stopped taking new citations on May 1, 2019.

Missouri Courts say, “You MUST respond to your ticket by the court date shown on the citation.” Courts report convictions to the DOR within 7 days under RSMo 302.225.

Questions to Ask the Court

These are plain process questions, not legal strategy:

Was I charged under the state statute or a local ordinance?
When is my court date, and what are my ways to respond?
Is a court-ordered DIP possible on this charge?
Which date counts as my conviction date?

Careless and Imprudent Driving and the DIP

The Driver Improvement Program (DIP) can cover the careless and imprudent line in RSMo 302.302.1(4). It counts only when the court on your ticket orders it and verifies you finished.

When it counts, the DOR accepts it “in lieu of the assessment of points” for that one ticket. The Missouri Safety Center process sheet says it “WILL NOT remove the ticket from the drivers record, only the points.”

The same limits apply as for any DIP:

Finish in time. Complete it within 60 days of the conviction date.
Once in 36 months. It counts no more than once in any 36-month period.
Online or in person. The statute allows either format.
The standard. The DIP must meet or exceed the National Safety Council’s eight-hour “Defensive Driving Course” standards.
The report. The court forwards a completion record to the DOR within 15 days after you finish.
No CDL drivers. CDL holders, and anyone required to hold a CDL, are excluded no matter what they were driving.

The CDL rule has a federal side. 49 CFR 384.226 bars states from masking a CDL holder’s conviction “in any type of motor vehicle.” The DOR commercial driver page covers CDL rules.

Where Reckless Driving Fits

People sometimes mix up careless driving and reckless driving. Form 899 lists “Stunt/Reckless Driving Felony” at 12 points, a separate line from careless and imprudent driving.

The DIP does not cover felonies. If your ticket uses a name you do not recognize, find its line on Form 899 or ask the court.

Form 899 lists violation descriptions “as they will appear on the Missouri driver record.” Our reckless driving guide explains what Missouri law covers.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the Missouri statute and DOR pages we checked on October 27, 2026, RSMo 304.012 showed an effective date of Aug. 28, 2025. Its history listed the 2025 law that added the stunt driving ban.

Form 899, Revised 08-2026, showed both careless and imprudent lines, at 2 and 4 points. Neither the statute nor the form gave a 3-point value.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each item comes from Missouri law or a DOR form:

Calling it 3 points. Form 899 shows 2, or 4 for the 304.016 line.
Calling it an infraction. Under state law it is a class B or class A misdemeanor.
Thinking class A needs an injury. The statute says only that “an accident is involved.”
Thinking it only applies to high speed. The duty of care applies at any speed.
Expecting the DIP with a CDL. It is barred in any vehicle.
Enrolling before the court orders it. The DIP counts only on a court order.

How Requirements Can Vary

Missouri’s point values, suspension levels and Driver Improvement Program rules come from Missouri law (RSMo 302.302 and 302.304) and apply statewide. Whether a court orders the DIP for your ticket, and how your case is handled, is up to the court on your ticket. Fines and court costs depend on the court and the charge.

Laws, forms and court practice can change. Check your ticket, any court order, the Missouri DOR website and the Missouri Revised Statutes before you enroll or pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is careless and imprudent driving in Missouri?

It is driving without “the highest degree of care” that RSMo 304.012 requires. The section also bans stunt driving since Aug. 28, 2025.

Is careless and imprudent driving worse than speeding?

Under state law it is a higher class. Careless and imprudent driving is a class B misdemeanor, while speeding is class C unless you were 20 mph or more over.

How many points is careless and imprudent driving in Missouri?

Form 899 lists “Careless & Imprudent” at 2 points and “Careless & Imprudent 304.016” at 4 points. A court can add 2 points for injury or property damage.

Does an accident change the charge?

Yes. RSMo 304.012 makes it a class A misdemeanor when an accident is involved. Without an accident, it is class B.

Can the DIP keep points off a careless and imprudent ticket?

It can, if the court orders it and verifies you finished. The conviction stays on the record. CDL holders cannot use it in any vehicle.

Is stunt driving the same as careless and imprudent driving?

No. RSMo 304.012 bans stunt driving, and RSMo 304.145 makes stunt driving and street takeovers their own offense. That offense is a class B misdemeanor first, class A second and a class E felony after that.

Will careless and imprudent driving stay on my driving record?

The conviction goes on your DOR record, even if a court-ordered DIP keeps the points off. The DOR FAQ says a ticket conviction may be removed three years after the conviction. Some convictions must stay permanently.

Conclusion

Careless and imprudent driving is a Missouri charge for driving without the highest degree of care, and under state law it is a class B or class A misdemeanor with 2 or 4 points. For your own case, ask the court on your ticket or talk with a Missouri attorney. When your court has ordered the DIP and you are eligible, you can take the Missouri Driver Improvement Program online.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a driver improvement course provider serving Missouri and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Driver Improvement Program rules, point values, fines and penalties depend on your ticket, court and case facts, and they can change. Use official Missouri DOR, Missouri Revised Statutes and court sources, and consult a qualified Missouri attorney for advice about your own case.