Reckless driving in Virginia is a Class 1 Misdemeanor. It is punishable by up to 12 months in jail, $2500 in fines and suspension of driving privileges for up to 6 months. There are several different forms of reckless driving. Basically it is driving in a manner that endangers life, limb, or property. The following two statutes are the most frequently used reckless driving code sections. If you are charged with reckless driving, you are likely charged under one of these sections.
§46.2-852 – Reckless driving; general rule
Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.
§46.2-862 – Exceeding speed limit (Reckless driving)
A person shall be guilty of reckless driving who drives a motor vehicle on the highways in the Commonwealth (i) at a speed of twenty miles per hour or more in excess of the applicable maximum speed limit or (ii) in excess of eighty miles per hour regardless of the applicable maximum speed limit.
If you have been charged with a form of reckless driving, it is wise to consult an attorney about your charge. This attorney should have experience in the court in which you are charged, whether it be Dinwiddie County or Prince George County or Chesterfield County or the City of Richmond. Additionally, it is helpful to have an attorney who has been on both sides of the courtroom. Former prosecutors, like Claude Whitehead, have spent countless hours in court. On any given day a prosecutor may have 25 cases, on the other hand a young defense attorney may have one. Who do you think has a greater wealth of courtroom knowledge and experience?