Even minor traffic violations may lead to high fines, demerit points on your driving record, increased insurance rates, mandatory completion of driver safety courses, and other negative consequences. More serious traffic violations may result in misdemeanor or felony convictions, which carry all the above penalties, and potential jail or prison sentences in some cases.
If you are in this situation, you may benefit from consulting a Fredericksburg traffic lawyer.
While you may not automatically think to contact a seasoned defense attorney, you should strongly consider doing so if you wish to avoid or minimize the potential penalties. Accruing multiple traffic offenses can cause the loss of your driving privileges, as well as becoming extremely expensive.
Some traffic offenses are simple violations, which means that they do not carry the possibility of jail time and do not rise to the level of a criminal offense. The only consequence of receiving a ticket for a traffic violation is a fine. Traffic violations may include tickets for speeding, failing to yield, disregarding a traffic signal, or failing to completely stop at a stop sign.
Given the nature and the specific circumstances surrounding the offense, others are classified as misdemeanors or felonies. Those traffic offenses that qualify as misdemeanors are criminal offenses of lesser severity that can result in up to one year in jail and high fines.
One common driving-related offense is driving while intoxicated (DWI). Va. Code § 18.2-270 designates a first DWI offense as a Class 1 misdemeanor, with a minimum fine of $250. If the blood alcohol concentration of the individuals at the time of their arrest is above 0.15 percent, then they also will face a mandatory minimum jail sentence of five or ten days, given the specific situation.
Another Class 1 misdemeanor pursuant to Va. Code § 46.2-852 is reckless driving. This offense occurs whenever individuals drive recklessly or in a manner that endangers the life or property of others. This offense covers a wide range of offenses that have the potential to harm other individuals or their property. Defendants are recommended to contact a Fredericksburg traffic lawyer to understand which traffic offense penalties they may face in court.
When a driving offense leads to serious bodily harm or death to another, the charge may be a felony under Virginia law. Reckless driving may be a Class 6 felony offense if individuals are driving while their licenses are suspended for moving violations and they cause an accident resulting in the death of another.
As a Fredericksburg traffic attorney could explain, a felony conviction could result in far more serious penalties than a misdemeanor conviction. This may entail a term of incarceration ranging from one to five years. Other consequences might include six demerit points and a $2,500 fine.
Most traffic violations, even those that simply require the payment of a ticket, will result in the imposition of demerit points to the driving records of individuals by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Given the seriousness of the offense, Individuals may receive three, four, or six demerit points. A minor speeding ticket could result in three points, while a reckless driving or DWI conviction can result in six points.
Demerit points remain on driving records for two years. Accumulating a certain number of demerit points within a specific time period could result in the suspension of driving privileges. Since this is a severe sanction, individuals may wish to get legal advice from a traffic attorney in Fredericksburg before making any decisions in their cases.
Traffic violations may result in fines, the assessment of demerit points, criminal convictions, and even incarceration in some circumstances. Violations also might indirectly result in increased insurance rates, difficulties pursuing certain careers or professional licenses, and criminal convictions showing up on background checks.
To learn more about the potential repercussions of a charge, you may wish to contact a Fredericksburg traffic lawyer for advice.
There are defenses that you may be able to raise to fight back against traffic violations. A Fredericksburg criminal defense lawyer may be able to assist you in exploring and evaluating any potential defenses.
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