Source: https://novacriminalattorney.com/reckless-driving/
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 17:27:56+00:00

Document:
In addition to the penalties for reckless driving prescribed in §46.2-868 and the penalties for aggressive driving prescribed in §46.2-868.1, the court may suspend the driver’s license issued to a person convicted of reckless driving or aggressive driving for a period of not less than 10 days nor more than six months and the court shall require the convicted person to surrender his license so suspended to the court where it will be disposed of in accordance with §46.2-398.
Additionally, any person convicted of a reckless driving offense which the court has reason to believe is alcohol-related or drug-related may be required as a condition of probation or otherwise to enter into and successfully complete an alcohol safety action program. If the court suspends a person’s driver’s license for reckless driving and requires the person to enter into and successfully complete an alcohol safety action program, the Commissioner shall not reinstate the driver’s license of the person until receipt of certification that the person has enrolled in an alcohol safety action program.
The court may, in its discretion and for good cause shown, provide that such person be issued a restricted permit to operate a motor vehicle during the period of suspension for any of the purposes set forth in subsection E of §18.2-271.1. The court shall order the surrender of such person’s license to operate a motor vehicle to be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of §46.2-398 and shall forward to the Commissioner a copy of its order entered pursuant to this subsection, which shall specifically enumerate the restrictions imposed and contain such information regarding the person to whom such a permit is issued as is reasonably necessary to identify such person. The court shall also provide a copy of its order to the person who may operate a motor vehicle on the order until receipt from the Commissioner of a restricted license. A copy of such order and, after receipt thereof, the restricted license shall be carried at all times while operating a motor vehicle. Any person who operates a motor vehicle in violation of any restrictions imposed pursuant to this section shall be punished as provided in subsection C of §46.2-301. No restricted license issued pursuant to this section shall permit any person to operate a commercial motor vehicle as defined in the Virginia Commercial Driver’s License Act (§46.2-341.1 et seq.).
Can I prepay a Reckless Driving by Speed ticket?
No. You cannot prepay a Reckless Driving by Speed ticket because it is a criminal offense.
Am I required to appear in court for by Reckless Driving by Speed charge?
If you do not hire an attorney, you must appear in court for all court hearings even if you are a non-Virginia resident and/or have military obligations.
If you hire an attorney and you are a Virginia resident, you must appear in court for all court hearings. However, some jurisdictions will allow you to not appear in court for all court hearings if you have an attorney and the prosecutor and/or law enforcement officer agree to not request active jail time.
If you hire an attorney and you are a non-Virginia resident and/or have military obligations and the prosecutor and/or law enforcement officer agree to not request active jail time, you do not have to appear in court for all court hearings.
What are the defenses to Reckless Driving by Speed?
Pursuant to Va. Code §19.2-8, if you have received a reckless driving by speed charge more than one (1) year after the occurrence of offense, the charge must be dismissed for failure to timely prosecute.
If the evidence cannot and/or does not prove that the reckless driving by speed occurred in the city or county in which you are charged, the charge must be dismissed.
If the evidence proves that you were not driving a motor vehicle as defined by Va. Code §46.2-100, the charge must be dismissed.
If the evidence proves that you were not driving on a highway as defined by Va. Code §46.2-100, the charge must be dismissed.
If a radar or laser device was used to determine your speed and the evidence proves that the radar or laser gun was not tested for its accuracy within six (6) months of the offense date as required by Va. Code §46.2-882, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did not pace your car to determine your speed. This rarely happens.
If a radar or laser device was used to determine your speed and the evidence proves that the radar or laser calibration sheet is not the original version or a true copy as required by Va. Code §46.2-882, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did not pace your car to determine your speed. This rarely happens.
If a radar or laser device was used to determine your speed and the evidence proves that the radar or laser calibration sheet does not indicate who performed the calibration as required by Va. Code §46.2-882, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did not pace your car to determine your speed.This rarely happens.
If the evidence proves that the law enforcement officer’s radar or laser device determined the speed of another car and not yours, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did not pace your car to determine your speed. This is difficult to prove.
If a pace was used to determine your speed and the evidence proves that the law enforcement officer’s speedometer was not tested for its accuracy within six (6) months of the offense date as required by Va. Code §46.2-882, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did not use a radar or laser device to determine your speed. This rarely happens.
If a pace was used to determine your speed and the evidence proves that the law enforcement officer’s speedometer calibration sheet is not the original version or a true copy as required by Va. Code §46.2-882, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did use a radar or laser device to determine your speed. This rarely happens.
If a pace was used to determine your speed and the evidence proves that the law enforcement officer’s speedometer calibration sheet does not indicate who performed the calibration as required by Va. Code §46.2-882, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did not use a radar or laser device to determine your speed. This rarely happens.
If a pace was used to determine your speed and the evidence proves that the law enforcement officer did not follow your car at a steady speed while maintaining an equal distance for 2/10 of a mile, the charge must be dismissed if the evidence also proves that the officer did not use a radar or laser device to determine your speed.
If the evidence proves that the law enforcement officer is lying about your reckless driving by speed, the charge must be dismissed. This is very difficult to prove.
If the law enforcement officer fails to show up for trial, the charge may be dismissed for failure to prosecute.
If there is no defense to my case, what are ways to avoid a conviction of Reckless Driving by Speed?
If the prosecutor and/or law enforcement officer agree to drop the charge and the court accepts the prosecutor and/or law enforcement officer’s decision, the charge will be dismissed. This rarely happens.
Depending on your jurisdiction, if the court finds that certain mitigating factors are present in your case, your charge may be dismissed immediately or after your completion of certain terms and conditions.
If there is no defense to my case, what are ways to get my Reckless Driving by Speed reduced to a non-criminal offense?
Depending on your jurisdiction, if the court finds that certain mitigating factors are present in your case, your charge may be reduced to a non-criminal offense immediately or after your completion of certain terms and conditions. Depending on your jurisdiction and the specific facts of your case, your reckless driving by speed charge may be reduced to defective equipment, improper driving, speeding 1-9mph over the posted speed limit, speeding 10-19mph over the posted speed limit, or speeding 20mph or more over the posted speed limit. These are all non-criminal offenses that carry no possibility of jail time and no possibility of license suspension by the judge.
If I am convicted of Reckless Driving by Speed, will I receive active jail time?
You were driving 30mph or more over the posted speed limit. However, some judges start to impose active jail time at 35mph or more over the posted speed limit.
You were driving 100mph or more, regardless of the posted speed limit.
You have had several speed-related convictions within the last five (5) years. The definition of “several” depends on your specific judge.
You displayed excessive erratic driving behavior. For example, rapidly changing lanes, constantly changing lanes, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating other cars, and/or driving in the emergency lane is erratic driving behavior.
You threatened the law enforcement officer.
You made the law enforcement officer’s job extremely difficult.
If I am convicted of Reckless Driving by Speed and I am a non-Virginia resident, will I receive the same amount of jail time as a Virginia resident?
Yes. When imposing active jail time, judges do not take into consideration if you are an out of state resident. Accordingly, you will be sentenced to active jail time under the same standards as a Virginia resident, which is described in the question above.
If I am convicted of Reckless Driving by Speed, will my Virginia license be suspended by the judge?
Depending on your specific judge, you were driving either 25mph or more over the posted speed limit; 30mph or more over the posted speed limit; or 35mph or more over the posted speed limit.
You displayed erratic driving behavior in addition to your speed. For example, rapidly changing lanes, constantly changing lanes, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating other cars, and/or driving in the emergency lane is erratic driving behavior.
You failed to complete a driver improvement program that was required by the court.
If I am convicted of Reckless Driving by Speed, will my non-Virginia license be suspended by the judge?
No, not directly. A Virginia judge cannot suspend a non-Virginia license. However, the judge may suspend “your privilege to drive in Virginia” under the same standards as a Virginia license holder, which is described in the question above. If that happens, the state that licensed you may receive notice of the judge’s suspension and may, in turn, suspend your license. Each state varies on how it treats out of state traffic convictions. Therefore, contact the DMV and/or a traffic attorney in the state that licensed you to determine how the punishment for a reckless driving by speed conviction in Virginia will affect your license.
If I am convicted of Reckless Driving by Speed, will my Virginia license be suspended by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)?
The Virginia DMV will suspend your Virginia license if one of the bullets below apply to your case.
You were 18 years old or older at the time you committed the offense and this reckless driving by speed conviction causes you to accumulate a total of 18 demerit points within a one (1) year period or 24 demerit points within a two (2) year period.
You were 18 years old or older at the time you committed the offense and you were under a six (6) month probationary period with the Virginia DMV at the time you committed the offense.
You were 16 or 17 years old at the time you committed the offense and this reckless driving by speed conviction is your second or subsequent conviction that carries demerit points.
You failed to complete a driver improvement program that was required by the DMV.
If I am convicted of Reckless Driving by Speed and have a non-Virginia license, will my non-Virginia license be suspended by my state’s DMV?
Maybe. Each state varies on how it treats out of state traffic convictions. Therefore, contact the DMV and/or a traffic attorney in the state that licensed you to determine how the punishment for a reckless driving by speed conviction in Virginia will affect your non-Virginia license.
Where exactly does your firm handle Reckless Driving by Speed cases?

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