While it may seem like a minor offence, speeding can have consequences in some cases, ranging from higher insurance rates to fines and jail time. Therefore, it is important to understand what to expect and to take all necessary steps to minimize the damage.
Below, a Loudoun County attorney talks about speeding in Virginia that you should know about.
In Loudoun County, you can be punished for not driving much faster than the speed limit, a misdemeanor that becomes reckless driving if the speed exceeds 19 miles per hour. If someone drives 20 miles per hour or more, the offense can result in a $1,000 fine. You can also be fined if you drive more than the weather conditions allow.
It is important to remember that reckless driving is not the same as speeding, so what looks like a ticket is actually called a summons when you talk about it. While you can certainly be charged with reckless speeding, in Loudoun County that is considered a misdemeanor, which is actually a criminal offense. A simple speeding offence is a traffic offence that carries no prison sentence whatsoever and only affects a person’s ability to drive.
While someone can receive a reckless summons for speeding, this is not the only way to charge someone with reckless driving, so it is not entirely correct to call it the same as a speeding violator. Whereas a “reckless summons” is a ticket that merely shows the indictment and contains information on how to pay for the offense, it is actually a summons to appear in court at a set date to answer the charges. A summons is the arrest process that usually goes hand in hand with a criminal complaint.
As speeding is not a criminal offence, you do not have to appear in court for it. If you choose to do so, you can pay and pay for the ticket in advance before entering the courtroom, and you do not have to pay or pay for it yourself.
As a result, however, you have to plead guilty before you have a chance to defend yourself. If you want to fight the ticket, hire a lawyer who can act for you while you fight it. In many cases, it is a much better option to give yourself the opportunity to reduce or reject the tickets without fighting them, but if you wanted to, you must appear in court to do so.
Judges like to reward people with good, clean driving. They are less likely to issue a ticket to someone who has never had a criminal record or a lengthy criminal record. If you receive one or more speeding violations, it will be more difficult for you to refuse or reduce subsequent tickets on the grounds that you do not normally drive in this way. Once you have established a pattern of driving bans, you lose the compassion of the judge. Your lawyer cannot push for your case to be dismissed. Virginia attorneys can review the police officer’s testimony and plug holes in it. They can help cast doubt on the facts presented by the officer and provide evidence that the driver, even if found guilty, should not be convicted. In addition, they can ensure that all steps are followed exactly.