Reckless Driving by Speed in Colonial Heights
A reckless driving offense is when someone drives over 80 mph or 20 mph over the speed limit. If someone receives a reckless driving citation, they are facing more penalties than a regular speeding ticket would.
If you have been charged with reckless driving by speed in Colonial Heights, it may be in your best interest to contact an experienced lawyer. A defense attorney could review the facts of your case and then advise you on what your best options are. Call today to schedule your consultation.
Penalties
In Virginia, reckless driving by speed is a Class 1 misdemeanor. When someone is driving over 80 mph or 20 miles mph over the speed limit, they are presumed to be operating their vehicle in a reckless fashion. A Class 1 misdemeanor placed on someone’s record is very similar to a person having a possession of marijuana or petty larceny charge. Class 1 misdemeanors carry a penalty of up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
Depending on the speed the person was going, judges and prosecutors are more willing to work with someone who is charged with reckless driving if it is for speed, as opposed to someone who is charged with reckless driving for doing doughnuts in the middle of the freeway.
Legal Defenses for Driving at Reckless Speeds
There are legal excuses for someone to be reckless driving by speed in Colonial Heights. Necessity is a defense a person could use. A necessity defense is when someone is driving recklessly fast in order to protect their life or the life of another. If someone is under duress for the reasons of protecting their life or the life of another, they may have an excuse to go excessive speeds. For example, if someone is racing to the hospital for a medical emergency. A well-trained lawyer can also help the defendant with building a defense for their charge.
Reckless by Speed Difference From Speeding Ticket
A speeding ticket is a simple driving infraction. An infraction is not going to effect a person’s criminal history. A simple driving infraction is only going to affect someone’s driving record and their insurance. A reckless driving charge is a criminal offense, which means that it can affect security clearance, go on their criminal record, the charge never comes off their record, and it affects not only their record but also their driving history and their insurance.
How an Attorney Can Help
An attorney can help someone who has received a reckless driving by speed in Colonial Heights offense by protecting their driving history. Also, legal counsel can assist by keeping the driver’s insurance rates down. Another way a lawyer can help the driver is by keeping their criminal record clean. Reckless driving is not just simply a traffic infraction which only goes on their driving record, it is a criminal offense. This means when anyone runs a background check on an individual, they will be able to see that the person has a criminal history. This could affect security clearances.
There are many important reasons why someone who has received a reckless driving by speed citation should hire a lawyer as soon as possible, which is why you should call today to schedule a case review.
