Traffic tickets for Reckless Driving in Virginia
There are many reasons why drivers receive tickets for reckless driving in Virginia. If you’ve been ticketed for reckless driving, you should know it is considered a criminal offense in our state.
Reckless driving is a class 1 misdemeanor that comes with six DMV points, a possible jail sentence up to 12 months, and up to $2,500 in fines. Additionally, your license may be suspended for as long as six months. A conviction for reckless driving in Virginia will stay on your record for as long as 11 years. Having an experienced attorney representing your traffic charge of reckless driving for any reason is a wise move to avoid these punitive measures.
Speeding and reckless driving
Most reckless driving tickets in Virginia are for speeding. To be charged with reckless driving due to speeding, you must be driving 20 mph over the speed limit or more than 85 mph. Note that even if you were not speeding, a police officer might issue you a reckless driving ticket if you were driving in a way that could damage property, yourself, or someone else.
Going to court for a reckless driving charge
The charge may be dismissed or reduced, depending on your driving record or the functioning of your speedometer. Drivers with good records have a better chance at getting the charge reduced or dismissed; the same applies if you can prove your car’s speedometer is not working correctly. Additional reasons for dismissing or reducing a speeding ticket are if the police officer’s radar gun is not properly calibrated (and reports a false reading of your driving speed), or if you were traveling to an emergency.
Contact The Alvarez Law Firm, PLLC for a free case consultation.