Category Archives: Reckless Driving
What Is Considered Reckless Driving in Virginia?
Basically, reckless driving is operating a motor vehicle with conscious disregard for the safety of other motorists. The law lists several examples, including losing control of a vehicle or driving a vehicle with a serious mechanical defect, like faulty brakes. Reckless driving is not a fix-it ticket that courts dismiss upon proof of compliance…. Read More »
When is a Speeding Ticket Not a Speeding Ticket?
Officers have almost absolute discretion to enhance ordinary traffic tickets, like speeding or turning illegally, to aggressive, reckless, or improper driving. Aggressive and reckless driving are misdemeanor offenses that could involve jail time. A misdemeanor is also a much darker mark on a permanent record. Improper driving is technically a traffic citation, but the… Read More »
What’s the Difference Between Illegal Passing and Reckless Driving?
Illegal passing is a simple traffic violation and reckless driving is a misdemeanor. That’s the biggest difference between these two infractions. A traffic ticket conviction usually means a fine, points, and possibly higher insurance rates. A reckless driving conviction means long court supervision, a much higher fine, and possible drivers’ license suspension, even for… Read More »
Street Racing Penalties in Virginia
Illegal street races occur almost every day in Loudoun County. Virginia drivers have more racing convictions than the drivers in almost any other state. Wyoming and North Dakota are the leading street racing states in the Union, possibly because there’s so much open space and not much else to do in these states. Virginia’s… Read More »
Three Under the Radar Reckless Driving Violations
Most people associate reckless driving violations with careless driving that clearly endangers other people. Indeed, most Article 7 violations address such driving. But a few are essentially driving technicalities. Officers often issue such citations if they’re bored or if they need to meet a quota. We should pause here and address ticket quotas. Formal… Read More »
Construction and Emergency Vehicle Violations in Virginia
Normally, fatal pedestrian accidents barely make the headlines. But if the victim was a construction worker or emergency responder, the incident not only makes the headlines. It also usually prompts calls for reforms. Many of those reforms are contained in Virginia’s reckless driving law. Some obscure sections of this law go beyond protecting individual… Read More »
Reckless Driving Defenses
During the pandemic, since roads mostly emptied, law enforcement officials sparsely enforced the reckless driving law. Officers reasoned this law protects other drivers, and for the most part, there weren’t any other drivers to protect. Now that coronavirus lockdowns are in the rearview mirror, many officers are determined to make up for lost time…. Read More »
Reckless Driving Charges in Juvenile Court
Inexperienced juvenile drivers who have their first cars and want to test their limits are much more likely to commit Article 7 violations than older drivers who drive to get from place to place. For example, most street racing defendants are juveniles or young adults. The same criminal and traffic laws apply in both… Read More »
Common Defenses In Reckless Driving Cases
As is the case in most other states, Virginia’s reckless driving law is extremely vague. Prosecutors usually bring the most aggressive charges that the facts could possibly support. Therefore, they often over-use the reckless driving law when a lesser charge, like speeding, is more appropriate. This aggressive posture often gets prosecutors in trouble when… Read More »
Speeding And Reckless Driving In Virginia
Generally, speeding is an independent, and not terribly serious, traffic violation in Virginia. But in many cases, officers can charge speeders with reckless driving. That’s a far more serious offense which carries much more severe direct consequences, like more points on a drivers’ license, and indirect consequences, like higher insurance rates. In some cases,… Read More »
