What Is Reckless Driving In Leesburg?

In Leesburg, reckless driving may constitute a number of different driving behaviors. The most common driving behaviors that leads to someone being charged with reckless driving are exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 20 miles/hour, or driving more than 80 miles/hour regardless of the posted speed limit. This is Virginia Code Section 46.2 – 862, also known as reckless driving by speed.

The other most common behavior to lead to a charge of reckless driving is “reckless driving under the general rule,” which is found in Virginia Code Section 46.2 – 852. If you are charged with either one of these behaviors, consult a reckless driving attorney in Leesburg, VA to help build a defense and minimize the harm of your charge.

What Does It Mean To Be Charged With Reckless Driving in Leesburg?

If you are charged with the offense of reckless driving, you are typically given a Virginia Uniform Summons requesting that you appear in court. The summons is the charging document instead of a warrant of arrest. You are still facing a potential class 1 misdemeanor, however, even if you are released on a summons.

In Virginia, all Class 1 misdemeanor offenses are punishable by:

Up to 12 months in jail
A fine of up to $2500
Or a combination thereof

In addition, if you are charged with the offense of reckless driving pursuant to Virginia Code Section 46.2-862 or any of the other 13 or more specific driving behaviors that are codified in Title 46.2, you face other consequences as well. These other potential penalties include up to 6 months loss of your driving privileges and negative 6 demerit points on your Virginia DMV record for a period of 11 years.

Different Kinds of Reckless Driving in Leesburg

There are at least 13 different driving behaviors that have been criminalized as reckless driving pursuant to the Code of Virginia. Code sections for reckless driving are found in Title 46.2 and Sections 852 through 868.

Some of the most common ways that a person may be charged with reckless driving include:

Driving too fast regardless of the posted speed limit
Failing to maintain control of their vehicle resulting in an accident or driving a vehicle with improper brakes
Passing on a double yellow line
Passing on a crest or a curve
Passing a school bus performing the function of loading or unloading children
Passing an emergency vehicle or in certain circumstances burning out or spinning tires in a parking lot

What Is Different About Reckless Driving in Leesburg?

Reckless driving offenses in Loudoun County and Leesburg, Virginia are unique because of the various different speed limits in which they may occur. A commonly seen reckless driving offense, for example, is reckless driving by speed. While Loudoun County and Leesburg have a lot of roads and a lot of drivers on those roads, we do not have a lot of high-speed areas and this is especially true in the town of Leesburg.

Leesburg has very limited 55 miles/hour zones on the local bypasses. The majority of the roads are 25 mile/hour zones, designated as either residential or business districts. There are also descending and ascending speed limit areas as one enters and exits the town of Leesburg, so knowing the speed limits, where they change, and how these different zones are viewed by the Court, local law enforcement, and even the prosecutor is very important.

Practice Areas