Virginia has very strict rules regarding reckless driving. Be it a felony related to excessive speeding or one that results in a road accident; these crimes are dealt very seriously by Virginia law enforcement agencies. It often comes as a surprise to a lot of drivers that crossing a speed limit of 81 miles per hour on a highway when you are in 70 miles per hour zone may come under the category of reckless driving.
Reckless driving is considered a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia. Criminal misdemeanor in Virginia has four classifications where the finable offenses being Class 4 and Class 3. Class 2 misdemeanors are considered punishable regarding jail confinement of not more than six months. A fine can also be given instead, which should not be more than $1000. However, when it comes to Class 1 misdemeanor, it is considered the most severely punished criminal offenses. If a citizen gets a conviction of class 1 misdemeanor, he is liable to jail confinement of 12 months or should pay a fine of no more than $2,500. Being classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor, it gives great importance to reckless driving regarding a criminal offense. Other examples of class 1 felonies consist of drinking and driving, assault and battery as well as sexual assault.
Definition of Reckless Driving
The ticket for reckless driving on Virginia comes as a great shock for drivers that are no-state. The rule says that one has to be driving either over 80 mph to be considered a reckless driver or someone who is driving 20mph above the posted speed limit for the designated area. However, in various states going 20 mph above the speed limit is generally not considered as reckless driving but Virginia has stricter rules with harsh penalties for reckless driving.
Another form of reckless driving that apart from the speeding is to lose the ability to maintain control over one’s vehicle. Most commonly this charge is used in case of a single vehicle accident, but if your vehicle went out of control resulting in a collision with another vehicle, a reckless driving would be more serious. What people fail to understand that being involved in a single car accident means you were unable to maintain control over your vehicle which in turns, equals to a charge of reckless driving.
Potential Penalties in case of Reckless Driving
Fines: A penalty of up to $2,500 which excludes the court fee
Demerit points: once you are caught with a charge of reckless driving, a maximum number of demerit point that can be added to your license are 6.
License Suspension: Your Driver’s license can get suspended up to a period of 6 months.
Imprisonment: Jail time up to 6 months can be penalized in cases of reckless driving.
Result in the loss of a job: This potentially results from imprisonment because jail time may deprive you of your job.
Criminal offense record: Having a record free of any criminal charge is very important in getting you multiple opportunities for jobs, insurances, etc.