Things You Should Know About Reckless Driving in Virginia
Another law that prohibits reckless driving is Virginia law 46.2-862. That law says that a person is a reckless driver if they drive twenty miles or more over the speed limit. A person can also be a reckless driver if they drive more than eighty miles per hour regardless of the posted speed limit.
What counts as a highway?
Even though the law prohibits driving on any highway in a reckless way, don’t let the word highway fool you. Virginia law defines highway as every way or place open to the use of motor vehicles. This can include an alley or even a private road.
Penalties for Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is a class one misdemeanor in Virginia. A person that’s convicted can spend up to one year in prison and pay a fine of up to $2,500 or both. If a person drives recklessly while their license is suspended or revoked and causes the death of someone else, it’s a class six felony.
License sanctions and penalties
In addition to possible jail time and fines, a person that’s convicted of reckless driving faces license sanctions and penalties. The State of Virginia may suspend their driver’s license for up to six months. The state may also assess six points on the person’s driving record.
How an attorney can help
A person that’s facing a reckless driving charge should consult with a Richmond reckless driving attorney. A Virginia attorney can evaluate the case and help defend aggressively against the charges in court. In some cases, an attorney can completely defend a person from the charges. In other cases, they can negotiate a disposition that reduces license penalties or avoids jail time.
An attorney can make sure that law enforcement did not commit any errors in the case. Often, law enforcement makes errors measuring speed or using a radar. These errors might mean that the speed reading in the case is inaccurate. An experienced attorney can evaluate the case to find defenses and aggressively assert them to the fullest extent of the law.