PRINCE WILLIAM RECKLESS DRIVING LAWYER

Let us fight your reckless driving ticket violation. As a Prince William reckless driving lawyer, I can fight your criminal traffic offenses in court and make sure to defend your legal rights.

read below defenses and penalties of reckless driving in Virginia

The Law on Reckless Driving

The Virginia Code §46.2-862 clearly defines that any person who drives a motor vehicle at a speed of 20 mph or more than the posted speed limit will be guilty of a reckless driving charge.

It is illegal to recklessly drive in a way that may endanger the life or property of any human being. 

Reckless driving in Prince William is considered a serious traffic violation. The following are several acts that may constitute reckless driving:

• Driving at excessive speed,
• Failing to yield right-of-way,
• Failing to give a proper signal to the cars behind, 
• Driving a vehicle with Faulty brakes,
• Improper or illegal passing of another vehicle,
• Passing by a school bus that has its flashing lights on and
• Drag racing.

Penalties of a Reckless Driving Charge

Being convicted for reckless driving can affect not only your personal life but also your professional life.

It is a Class 1 misdemeanor that carries a variety of punishments and long-term consequences. 

The penalty of a reckless driving conviction includes accumulating demerit points, being charged with a fine of at least $2,500, increased insurance premiums, suspension of your driver’s license, and possible jail time for 12 months. 

In a case where your license gets suspended, a judge may authorize a restricted license for specific purposes such as picking up kids from school, going to work, or going to see a doctor.

However, this does not give you blanket permission to drive whenever you want but allows you to get to work and drop kids to school.  

Moreover, concerning fines, there are various factors that the court will take into account depending on the circumstances of your case, specifically how fast you were speeding, what location you were driving in, etc.

Possible Defenses to beat your Reckless Driving Ticket

In determining what defenses apply to your case, you will need to contact an experienced Prince William Reckless Driving Lawyer.

The following are some common defenses one can raise depending on the facts of your case:

Location 

The burden is on the prosecutor to prove that the offense of driving recklessly took place in the correct city where the officer stopped and charged you.

Although a technical defense but can be a powerful one if applicable to your case.

If you have not committed the offense in the police officers’ jurisdiction or when it has been committed in between borders, this may be a viable defense. 

Calibration

It is on the prosecution to establish that the radar used to check your speed was calibrated properly and working fine on the day you were charged.

The officers are required to calibrate it every six months and obtain a valid certificate stating that it meets the statutory requirements.

If the device resulted in an inaccurate determination of speed, you may have a compelling defense.

Necessity

One can raise this defense if you can show the court that you were driving improperly or recklessly only because you believed that an emergency existed such that posed an imminent danger to you or anyone you know.

GPS defense

This can be used if you believe you were going slower than what the officer claims you were going at. You will need to have a GPS readout for this to be a successful defense in your case.

Why should you hire a Prince William Reckless Driving Lawyer?

A reckless driving ticket is no laughing matter. The outcome of your case depends not only on the facts but on the evidence and the legal issues presented.

It’s better not to make the mistake of assuming the judge will dismiss or reduce your charge simply because it’s a first-time offense.

If you have previous charges on your driving record, it is highly encouraged to contact an experienced Prince William Reckless Driving Lawyer.

The attorneys here at the American Lawyers Group have years of experience with handling thousands of clients and providing them with strong and effective representation.

We can evaluate your case and determine the best legal options to pursue to reduce the charge or mitigate it altogether