Virginia's location makes it a mecca for out-of-state visitors and commuters. However, many of these nonresident drivers have been surprised to receive a large and damaging ticket for driving just 10 mph over the posted speed limit.
Unique Reckless Driving Law in Virginia
In most states, a driver has to be going 20 mph over the posted speed limit to be given a ticket for reckless driving. However, in Virginia, drivers can be pulled over and ticketed for reckless driving if they are going just 11 mph over the speed limit in a 70 mph zone.
This is because in Virginia, driving faster than 80 mph—regardless of the posted speed limit—is considered reckless driving. While most residents of Virginia are aware of this, many out-of-state people are not, and have paid the price.
A report in The Washington Post showed that multiple residents of Washington, D.C., got ticketed for exceeding 80 mph in Virginia. They had no idea that it would cause them to lose their driving privileges.
In D.C., a Virginia reckless driving ticket is considered "willful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others." In Virginia, the ticket would result in 6 points on a 24-point scale, but in D.C., it results in 12 points on a 12-point scale. Hence, the D.C. drivers suddenly found that their driver's license had been revoked, no matter how spotless their driving record had been up to that point.
As Virginia traffic ticket attorneys, we have seen many lives altered and careers lost because of the strict speeding regulations in this state. If you have been given a reckless driving ticket in Virginia and want to fight it, be sure to contact an experienced Virginia Beach criminal law attorney as soon as possible.