You’re a busy person, and you’re in a hurry, so what’s another speeding ticket?

As it turns out, even a single speeding ticket can be cause for concern in Virginia.

Any speeding ticket is a severe violation, and if you are cited with a single or multiple speeding tickets in Virginia, you’ll want to contact an attorney for legal advice on how to proceed. Speeding of any kind is considered reckless driving, and reckless driving is a crime that carries stiff penalties. 

Whether you’re zipping up Interstate 81 to get to work or driving across Valley Avenue to run an errand, make sure you’re driving at or under the posted speed limit, or you may be pulled over and charged with reckless driving.

Drivers can commit a variety of traffic violations, from changing lanes improperly or following another vehicle too closely, to driving under the influence. Many people may be tempted to think of speeding violations as minimal traffic offenses, but a speeding violation of any kind is not something to ignore.

Virginia speeding tickets are consequential traffic violations with possibly stiff penalties. The danger that speeding imposes to self and others causes cities to regularly adjust and enforce speed limits to protect drivers, pedestrians, and property. The penalties are in place to help drivers respect driving laws.

There are times, however, that speeding is warranted.

For expert legal advice and representation in Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Frederick counties, contact Brad Pollack,  a speeding ticket lawyer who knows the ropes and understands how the laws regarding speeding, also known as reckless driving, can impact your driving record.

When dealing with reckless traffic offenses, you need expert legal counsel like Brad on your side, especially if you choose to fight the ticket in court. Brad Pollack's extensive knowledge and experience in handling reckless driving citations and other traffic offenses can help you win your case.

You have two choices for handling traffic offenses and speeding tickets in Virginia:  pay the imposed fine or go to court and fight the charge.

Because some of the fines associated with traffic violations may seem insignificant, you may be tempted to send your county courthouse the $10 for not having your driver’s license on you or the $30 for failure to obey a stop sign. After all, some of the smaller traffic offenses don’t seem like a big deal, so paying the fine makes the incident appear to go away. Some people are willing to pay the fine for speeding, too, just to be able to move on.

The big deal is that when you pay the fine, you admit guilt. The Virginia speeding ticket goes on your driving record, and you begin racking up driving points on your license. Each offense can bring you three, four, or six points.

Improper passing, for example, earns you a three-point penalty, whereas reckless driving is a six-point penalty. Virginia defines reckless driving as traveling 20 mph more than the posted speed limit or driving 80 mph above any applicable speed limit. Driving 50 mph in a 30 mph zone, for example, is considered reckless driving, and being convicted of reckless driving will result in six points being affixed to your driving license.

If you accrue 18 points in a twelve-month window or 24 points in two years, Virginia will suspend your driving license. During this period, every traffic violation will also be reported to your insurance company, which in turn may raise its rates or drop your coverage altogether, based on your driving habits.

What should you do?

Don’t go to court in Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Frederick counties without representation from a speeding ticket lawyer. Brad Pollack's legal counsel will help you plead your case, and sometimes, he can help you explain to the court why it was necessary to exceed the posted speed limit.

Even if your case isn’t dismissed, as a good traffic lawyer, Brad may help lessen the charges, fines, and penalties levied against you, or expunge the charges altogether.

Multiple speeding tickets and even other traffic violations can result in wide-ranging penalties, including having points attached to your driver’s license and more. Virginia employs a progressive penalty system consisting of fines, jail time, and even loss of your driver’s license.

Reckless driving is classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony offense. Each charge brings with it fines of up to $2,500 and possible jail time. In some cases, serving a jail sentence is mandatory. In addition, your license could be suspended or revoked, severely impacting your ability to get to work or take care of other business.

No wonder drivers rely on a speeding ticket lawyer to help them overcome challenges from the effect of a reckless driving charge as the result of a speeding ticket.  

If you’re in Virginia on vacation or even temporary assignment, you might be tempted to ignore your out of state speeding ticket, thinking you can go home and forget about it.

Not so fast, because what happens in Virginia doesn’t stay in Virginia. Reckless driving here can affect your driving record elsewhere, thanks to the Drivers License Compact.

Forty-five states participate in the Drivers License Compact, which means that a traffic offense committed in any of those other states is considered part of your record. If you’ve been charged with a traffic violation in Virginia, that violation follows you home.

Likewise, traffic violations in other states can affect the outcome of your speeding ticket in Virginia.

Reciprocity between states isn’t something you want to ignore, which is why you should fight your Virginia speeding ticket.

The way in which the officer determined that you were speeding can be highly subjective and prone to error, and a competent lawyer knows that.

Speed detection isn’t always as scientific as it might sound. Speeding ticket lawyers know this, and they will want to know how your speed was determined because a detection method like pacing isn’t as accurate as a laser reading – and even that can be contested.

They may even be times that speeding is warranted.

Regardless why you were given a speeding citation, as a competent lawyer, Brad will make sure your rights are protected.

So, what’s another speeding ticket?

As it turns, out, another speeding ticket can be a lot, which can leave you with a lot less. The courts will assess fines and possibly impose jail time, impacting not only your finances but maybe your freedom. A speeding ticket lawyer will help you navigate the process of handling these citations correctly.

Leave your driving to the defenses of Brad Pollack.

He’ll handle your ticket correctly and promptly so that you can get safely on your way.