Speed limits vary depending on whether the road is in a town, a residential area, near a school or highway safety corridor (fines are doubled by statute). Speeding might seem like a harmless traffic violation, but in Virginia it carries serious penalties if you are convicted – particularly if you have had multiple speeding tickets in the recent past.

What are the penalties for speeding in Virginia?

Demerit Points Earned

8 points in 12 months (or 24 points in 24 months)
12 points in 12 months (or 18 points in 24 months)
18 points in 12 months (or 24 points in 24 months)

Consequences
You will receive an advisory letter cautioning you about the consequences of breaking the law
The Commonwealth of Virginia will give you 90 days to complete a driver improvement clinic
Virginia DMV will suspend your driving privileges for 90 days.

Demerit points remain on your driving record for 2 years from the date you received your speeding ticket, but the violation will remain on your record from 5 years to 11 years, depending on the severity of the speeding offense.

In addition to being assessed demerit points on your DMV driving record, you can also expect to pay court costs and fines. The court costs and fines of your speeding ticket will depend on how fast you were going in excess of the posted speed limit and where the alleged speeding offense occurred. For example, if you are given a speeding ticket while in a “Highway Safety Corridor,” and you do not challenge your speeding ticket then your fines will automatically double.

Why should I consult an attorney? When fighting a speeding ticket on your own and without the assistance and advice of a qualified attorney, you can expect to go against a trained police officer and an often veteran Commonwealth Attorney, both of whom have likely appeared in court hundreds of times against unrepresented people like you. Additionally, in most traffic infraction cases, hiring an attorney can often mean that your appearance in court is waived.

This can be especially important for those who reside outside of the Commonwealth of Virginia, or those of you that are within the Commonwealth but are cited for a traffic infraction in a different part of that state.

If you have been issued a Speeding ticket, contact The Paracha Firm immediately for a no-fee consultation.