Manassas Reckless Driving Attorney
A study from WalletHub found that Virginia has the sixth strictest penalties out of all the states and is the eighth strictest state when it comes to reckless driving. While the harsh penalties help prevent reckless driving habits that put people’s lives at risk, there are times when tickets are handed out even though the circumstances don’t warrant it. The repercussions of receiving a ticket for reckless driving can impact your entire life, from your ability to drive to your financial situation. If you have received a recent traffic violation, it is important to fight the charges with an experienced Manassas legal team. The Manassas reckless driving attorneys at Simms Showers LLP know the impact a reckless driving violation can have and want to assist you in reducing or eliminating the ticket.
What is Reckless Driving?
According to Virginia Code 46.2-852, reckless driving is when a person drives a vehicle at a speed or in a manner that endangers people’s lives, limbs, or property. You can be charged with driving recklessly if your actions are risking other people’s safety, even when you are not going above the speed limit. This includes driving a vehicle that is unsafe for the roads due to non-functional brakes etc.
What Price Will I Pay for a Reckless Driving Charge?
Reckless driving is a criminal charge, which means the court can impose jail time in addition to a fine. The violation will either be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances. Virginia Code 46.2-868 states that killing someone while driving recklessly is a class six felony, which means a $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail time.
You may also lose your license if you drive recklessly. At the very least, you will accumulate points on your driving record. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, examples of reckless driving violations that get six demerit points include:
- Speeding 20 mph or more above the posted speed limit;
- Racing against another vehicle;
- Passing or overtaking an emergency vehicle;
- Passing on the crest of a hill;
- Passing two vehicles abreast;
- Driving two vehicles abreast;
- Driving too fast for the road conditions;
- Failing to give a proper signal;
- Faulty brakes/improper control; and
- Other actions that put people’s lives, bodies, or property in danger.
Reckless driving is also likely to raise your auto insurance premiums because insurance companies are notified each time a driver receives demerit points.
We Are Prepared to Represent You
When crashes occur, fault is typically assigned to one driver even if the police are not certain of what happened that caused the crash. A reckless driving violation may be handed out even though it is warranted. Police officers often use techniques to catch speeding cars that are not precise measurements. A reckless driving ticket given for excessive speeding may not be the appropriate penalty. Our legal team at Simms Showers LLP is here to discuss your reckless driving violation and how we can help you avoid jail time, fines, high insurance rates, and points on your driver’s license.
