Speeding tickets are the most common traffic ticket in Virginia. A single Virginia state trooper may write more than 150 traffic tickets in a single month. Typically, half of those tickets are for speeding. While speeding tickets are very common in Virginia traffic court, not all speeding tickets are the same and not all Va speeding tickets affect people the same.
While many drivers need only prepay their Va speeding ticket, some drivers face life-altering consequences as a result of a speeding ticket. The Virginia DMV may suspend a driver’s license or place them on probation after as few as two traffic tickets. Speeding tickets can also have a severe effect on auto-insurance rates or a person’s job. The information in this webpage is designed to alert you to potential dangers and to empower you to avoid the severe consequences of a speeding ticket.
Anyone in Virginia who drives more than 20 mph over the speed limit or faster than 80 mph may be given a speeding ticket charged with the crime of reckless driving. If you have received a traffic ticket for driving more than 20 mph over the limit or faster than 80 mph, the first thing you should do is make sure you were not charged with reckless driving.
You can verify what type of traffic ticket you received in two ways. 1) You can view your traffic court case file online and see whether it says "speeding" or "reckless driving by speed". To learn how to find your case online click here. 2) You can look at your Virginia Uniform Summons (the yellow ticket you received from the police). If, in the note section of the summons it says 46.2-862 or 46.2-852, you are charged with reckless driving, if it says 46.2-870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 876, 878, 878.1, 878.2 or 881, then you are charged with speeding. If neither one of these options helps you determine what you are charged with, contact a local traffic attorney.
Reckless Driving by speed and Speeding are basically the same offense in Virginia, but the punishments are very different. Reckless driving is a criminal offense which may involve jail time, probation, license suspension, and a much steeper fine. To learn more about reckless driving click here.
If you received a speeding ticket on National Park land including the George Washington (GW) Parkway then you are charged with a federal crime that comes with the real possibility of jail time. Even minor speeding tickets in a National Park can result in jail. If you received a speeding ticket in a Virginia National Park or Parkway, then contact one of our attorneys immediately.
Nichols & Green, PLLC
10521 Judical Drive
Suite 100
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone: 703-383-9222
Toll free: 800-557-7174
Fax: 703-383-9220
Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Prince William County, Loudoun County, Arlington County, City of Alexandria, Manassas, Manassas Park, Town of Haymarket, City of Vienna, Town of Herndon, Town of Reston, City of Falls Church, and Federal Court (Eastern District of Virginia)