Leesburg Traffic Violation Attorney
Types of traffic violations in Loudoun County and Northern Virginia
Getting a traffic ticket in Virginia means more than simply paying a fine. If you pay the fine for a Leesburg traffic ticket, you are, in effect, allowing the court to find you guilty. Such convictions for traffic tickets are reported to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which assesses demerit points against a driver’s license.
Accumulating too many points or being convicted of certain violations will lead to the loss of your license. Insurance companies can access your DMV record to determine whether you are a safe driver. With too many points, your automobile insurance rates may skyrocket. Contact our Leesburg traffic violation attorneys today.
Virginia traffic violations
Different amounts of points are assessed by the Virginia DMV for different traffic violations. Some of the most common violations and the amount of demerit points are as follows:
- Illegal turn: three points
- Improper u-turn: three points
- Improper passing: three points
- Improper signal for stop or turn: four points
- Failure to yield right of way: four points
- Following too closely: four points
If you accumulate 12 demerit points in 12 months (or 18 points in 24 months), you will be required to complete a driver improvement clinic. You must enroll in and satisfactorily complete the clinic within 90 days or your driver’s license will be suspended. If you accumulate 18 demerit points in 12 months (or 24 points in 24 months), your driving privilege will be suspended for 90 days.
Leesburg Traffic Violations, Penalties & Fines
It is not surprising that reckless driving is a costly mistake. A single conviction in Virginia, for example, can cost up to $2,500 in fees, up to 12 months in jail and a loss of your driver’s license for six months. And the six points that goes on your driving record can jack up your insurance costs. These points apply to other traffic violations in Leesburg and the greater Northern Virginia area as well. And there are some that may surprise you. Contact our Leesburg traffic violation attorneys.
Points against you
When you are convicted of a traffic violation, the DMV adds various points to your driving record for each violation. For each year your insurance company sees these points on your record, they can raise your rates. Here’s a look at common — and surprising — Virginia moving violations, their points and the years they remain on your driving record:
Six-point violations
- Reckless driving — speeding in excess of 80 mph (11 years)
- Reckless driving — speeding 20 mph or more above posted speed limit (11 years)
- Reckless driving — passing on the crest of a hill (11 years)
- Refusing a blood breath test (11 years)
- Driving while intoxicated (11 years)
Four-point violations
- Passing when unsafe (three years)
- Reckless driving — failure to stop at a highway entrance (11 years)
- Failure to yield to a funeral procession (three years)
- Following too closely (three years)
Three-point violations
- Improper turn (three years)
- Driving while using headphones (three years)
- Speeding one to nine miles above the posted speed limit (five years)
Avoiding penalties and points
In addition to various fines imposed upon these violations, if you have accumulated more than 18 points in 12 months or 24 points in 24 months, your license will be suspended. A Loudoun reckless driving attorney knowledgeable in Virginia criminal law can be a big help when facing a ticket for a traffic violation. He or she can assist you in presenting your case in court, which could be the difference between you losing your driver’s license and keeping it.
Contact our Leesburg traffic violation attorneys
When you are cited for a traffic violation in Loudoun County, you have rights and options. Experienced and knowledgeable Leesburg traffic violation attorneys like Caleb A. Kershner and William B. Mann can save your license and save you money on your insurance rates. With the assistance of their seasoned Leesburg law firm staff at Simms Showers LLP, they have prosecuted and defended hundreds of traffic and criminal cases in Loudoun County and Northern Virginia. Traffic tickets do not have to result in the loss of your license or exorbitant increases in your automobile insurance rates. Contact Simms Showers today to represent you in your traffic violation defense case.
