Petersburg Speeding Lawyer
While the average person may get a speeding ticket once or twice in their life, even a single ticket could disrupt an individual’s finances. The added costs of increased car insurance premiums, demerit points on your license, court costs, and high fines might take quite a toll on a person’s wallet.
If you are charged with reckless driving by speed or accumulate multiple speeding tickets within a relatively short period of time, you may even have your license suspended. To work toward minimizing some or all of these consequences, getting advice from a Petersburg speeding lawyer may be advisable. An experienced attorney could examine in what manner you were charged with speeding and could challenge any allegations in court.
Traffic Tickets in Petersburg
A regular speeding ticket in Petersburg is an offense that may carry no risk of jail time. Individuals who receive a ticket could opt to simply pre-pay the fine that goes along with the ticket; if they do so, they are typically not required to appear in court. If a person chooses to take a ticket to court, an attorney could assist them by going with them or going in their place.
Pre-paying the ticket is an admission of guilt that appears on individuals’ driving records. Demerit points are automatically assessed on a person’s license.
How the Point System is Used
The Commonwealth of Virginia uses a point system to assess points to drivers’ licenses when they receive traffic tickets and speeding tickets, or other driving-related convictions. The potential points that individuals could receive for speeding tickets and reckless driving due to speed convictions may typically be as follows:
- Speeding ticket for one to nine miles per hour over the speed limit – 3 points
- Speeding ticket for 10 to 19 miles per hour over the speed limit – 4 points
- Speeding ticket/reckless driving conviction for 20 or more miles per hour over the speed limit – 6 points
For each full calendar that goes by for individuals who have valid Virginia driver’s licenses and no violations or suspensions, they could earn one point back, which might mitigate the effects of demerit points on their licenses. Drivers may obtain a maximum of five “safe driving” points in this manner. A Petersburg lawyer could explain how speeding points may affect a person’s legal standing.
How the Law Could Affect Minors and Young Adults
Individuals who are under the age of 18 and receive a speeding ticket or commit other traffic offenses that accrue demerit points are required to complete a driver improvement clinic. Those minors who do not complete the clinic within 90 days may be subject to having their permits or licenses suspended until they complete the clinic.
A second traffic offense could result in an automatic 90-day driver’s license or permit suspension. A third traffic offense may result in a revocation of a permit or license for one year or until the individuals turn 18, whichever is longer.
Individuals who are 18 or 19 years old who receive a speeding ticket or are convicted of any traffic offense that adds demerit points to their licenses may be required to complete a Virginia driving improvement class.
Reckless Driving in Virginia
In certain cases, speeding could result in a criminal charge rather than a simple ticket. Virginia Code § 46.2-862 states that individuals commit the offense of reckless driving when they drive at a speed of 20 miles per hour more than the posted speed limit, or if they drive more than 80 miles per hour, regardless of the speed limit.
Despite the posted speed limit, reckless driving also may occur under Virginia Code § 46.2-852 if individuals drive at a speed that endangers others or property.
Reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor under Virginia law, which carries a potential sentence of up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, and a potential driver’s license suspension of up to six months, in the case of a first offense.
As is the case with speeding tickets, reckless driving convictions typically add points to individuals’ license, which might eventually make them subject to a license suspension.
High fines, court costs, and increased insurance premiums are also potential consequences of a reckless driving conviction that may follow.
A reckless driving conviction could remain on a driver’s driving record life. While there is no mechanism for expunging a reckless driving conviction under Virginia law, a person could speak to a speeding lawyer in Petersburg to help keep their record clean.
Contact a Petersburg Speeding Lawyer
Speeding tickets may be more problematic and costly that they might initially appear. If it is not your first ticket or if you were driving 20 miles per hour over the speed limit or more, a ticket could lead to a number of longterm and steep fines. Contact a Petersburg speeding lawyer to learn how you may be able to avoid potential repercussions for speeding,
