Severity of Speeding Offenses in Virginia

Although they are relatively common, speeding offenses can be very serious in Virginia with some of them rising to the level of criminal charges. For this reason, it is important you consult with a Virginia speeding ticket lawyer who can help you navigate through the different consequences of your particular speeding offense and explain what legal options you have available.

To learn more about the severity of speeding offenses in Virginia and what you should expect if cited, call and schedule a consultation today.

Levels of Speeding Offenses in Virginia

In Virginia, there are two main types of speeding offenses: speeding and reckless driving. The difference between them is generally how fast the driver was going. General speeding usually is charged up until 19 miles per hour over the speed limit or less, however, once it transitions to 20 miles per hour over the speed limit or more, it typically becomes reckless driving, which is a criminal offense rather than just a traffic infraction.

Criminal offenses are jailable, and someone charged with reckless driving is facing up to 12 months in jail, a fine of up to $2500 and a license suspension of up to six months in addition to a permanent criminal record. Traffic infractions on the other hand are not jailable, so the punishment is only a fine and demerit points on your driver’s license, which over time will disappear, but if you accumulate too many points you could have your driver’s license suspended.

Do I Need to Show Up To Court?

If it is a speeding ticket then you do not need to show up to court and can pre-pay your fine online without ever having to step in a courtroom at all. With that said doing so is equal to pleading guilty and means you are at the mercy of whatever punishment you are given.

For reckless driving or another type of criminal charge, it is mandatory that you show up to court as your charge could carry jail time or other serious penalties.

Frequency of Speeding Tickets in Virginia

Virginia is very proud of its strict driving rules and officers all over the state routinely hand out speeding tickets. When you are given a ticket you should look specifically on the document that you are given by the police officer for the name of your charge to ensure that you are not actually facing the much more serious reckless driving charge.

Advantages of An Experienced Speeding Ticket Lawyer

The advantage of having an experienced Virginia speeding ticket lawyer is that you will have somebody on your side who can explain to you exactly what it is that you are being charged with and what that means, not only in the short term but also in the long run.

Many people mistakenly believe that a speeding ticket is not a big deal because the points go away over time and so does the conviction. However, in reality, it can have consequences on so much more than just the immediate inconvenience of having a speeding ticket. You could have to pay higher insurance premiums and you could have your license suspended by accumulating too many points. There are a lot of things that can be avoided if you have an attorney on your side helping you out.