What to do if you are charged with reckless driving

Reckless driving is a first degree misdemeanor in the Commonwealth of Virginia and should be taken seriously. There are over 10 separate reckless diriving charges and some of the statutes can be quite ambiguous. Penalties range from steep fines to jail time. You may need the assistance of a criminal defense attorney.

General Reckless Driving under the Virginia Code 46.2-852 states that anyone driving in a manner that endangers life or limb is guilty of reckless driving. This is also a common misdemeanor charge if you admit fault in a car accident.

Under Va. Code section 46.2-862 reckless driving by speed is a criminal misdemeanor when driving 20 mph over the speed limit or in excess of 85 mph.

It is also illegal to Pass When View is Obstructed § 46.2-854, Passing Two Vehicles Abreast § 46.2-856, Passing at an Intersection or Railroad Grade Crossing § 46.2-858, Passing a Stopped School Bus § 46.2-859, Driving Too Fast for Traffic Conditions § 46.2-861, Failure to Yield the Right of Way § 46.2-863, and Racing § 46.2-864,65.

Penalties for reckless driving can start with fines around $250-500 and easily go up to $2500 for speeds in access of 100 mph or for individuals with poor driving records. A misdemeanor on your criminal record can also create difficulties with your work and especially finding new work. Additionaly, license suspensions and jail time generally come on the table at different speed thresholds depending on the court and sitting judge.

If charged with Reckless Driving tell your attorney everything that happened, if you made any incriminating statements, details about your driving record, your age, occupation and any public or community service you are involved in. All these details are important for us to get you the best possible result at your hearing.

We may start with a phone call to 540-319-4111 for a free consultation. By the end of the call we will have a small checklist for you and we will handle the rest!!