Reckless Driving Charges in Virginia Beach

There are two categories of reckless driving in Virginia. The first is if the person is traveling at 20 miles or more over the speed limit. The second is if the person is operating a vehicle in such a manner as to endanger their life, limb, or property, or that of another person, that is considered general reckless driving. There are also several dangerous passing violations such as passing a school bus or passing an emergency vehicle and also losing control of the vehicle and drag racing. If you are facing Virginia Beach reckless driving charges, consult a skilled reckless driving attorney. A Virginia Beach reckless driving lawyer can help you build a strong defense.

Scenarios for Reckless Driving

If the speed limit is 55 miles an hour and the person is traveling 78 miles an hour, that can get the person pulled over for reckless driving. Car accidents are often a result of reckless driving. If the person is swerving in and out of traffic and putting other drivers at risk, that can be considered reckless driving.

Usually, someone will be charged with reckless driving if they are going between 20 to 25 miles over the speed limit. An individual can be charged with this offense for driving over 80 mph. There are also several dangerous passing violations such as passing a school bus or passing an emergency vehicle and also losing control of the vehicle and drag racing.

Potential Penalties

In Virginia, a person cannot prepay reckless driving tickets. There a complicated Virginia Beach reckless driving court process for serious reckless driving cases. Reckless driving is considered a Class One Misdemeanor in Virginia. The maximum penalty is a $2,500 fine and 12 months in jail. However, it is very rare that the maximums are reached on a reckless driving ticket. Usually, the fine is between $150 and $300 depending on how fast the person was going over the speed limit. Whether or not the judge gives jail time is dependent on the speed and the person’s past driving record.

A reckless driving conviction is a Class 1 Misdemeanor which is punishable by up to twelve months in jail and/or a $1,250 fine. Reckless driving is usually a higher rate of speed than normal, whereas speeding sets off at 20 miles an hour.

In addition, penalties can be levied against an individual’s driver’s license. A reckless driving conviction results in 6 points off of a driver’s license and it stays on the DMV record for eleven years. If someone is convicted of a reckless driving, then it becomes part of their permanent criminal record as a class 1 misdemeanor which can affect their insurance and they will always have to disclose that if they are asked about their criminal record on job interviews or job applications.

Benefits of a Lawyer

An attorney who does not practice in the area will not know that judge’s standard, will not know what upsets the judge, what the judge likes to see that the person has done, and will not know the Police Officer. Often with these cases, what the officer says about a person goes along the way. If the Police Officer says he was cooperative with him and did not give the Officer any trouble, that may make the judge more likely to give him a break. By knowing the police officers, local defense attorneys can convince them to leave out parts of the incident that might be damaging if there were other vehicles on the road, in the area, or other people in the car.

This is a complicated process and there are many factors that go into Virginia Beach reckless driving charges. Unless you have extensive knowledge of the law, you will need to contact a skilled Virginia Beach reckless driving lawyer.