Virginia is known for being the 6th strictest state for its driving charges throughout the United States. In Virginia careless driving and ignoring the traffic rules are serious criminal offenses and if a person is charged with a ticket for driving carelessly than he/she must immediately consult an experienced lawyer of Virginia. The prosecutors in Virginia deal with the traffic offenders very strictly and they are even charged with harsh penalties. The Law enforcement authorities and legislators have constituted strict laws and penalties to minimize the bad road behaviors of drivers and ensure the safety of the citizen in Virginia. Hence, if you are not stopping at a stop sign in Virginia you will be subjected to fines, tickets, and other penalties.
The type of traffic violation criminal’s offense in Virginia
- Traffic Violation
- The traffic violation and traffic tickets include all the general offense such as speeding in Virginia
- Class 1 misdemeanor:
- Within Virginia, reckless driving is considered a class one misdemeanor as it is deemed as a major criminal offense. A person who is charged with a reckless driving ticket is subject to class one misdemeanor charges which includes heavy fines along with jail time. However, there are plenty of factors which influences the level of punishments.
- Felony
In the state of Virginia, there are very rare scenarios when a person is facing felony charges of reckless driving. They are only applied in serious and sensitive circumstances section 46.2-865.1:
“Any person who, while engaging in a race in violation of § 46.2-865 in a manner as gross, wanton and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life:
- Causes serious bodily injury to another person who is not involved in the violation of § 46.2-865 is guilty of a Class 6 felony; or
- Causes the death of another person is guilty of a felony punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one nor more than 20 years, shall one year of which be a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment.
- Upon conviction, the court shall suspend the driver’s license of such person for a period of not less than one year nor more than three years, and shall order the surrender of the license to be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of § 46.2-398.”
Failure to stop at a stop sign penalty in Virginia
As per the Virginia law code section 46.2-833. (Penalty)
“The driver of any motor vehicle may be detained or arrested for a violation of this section if the detaining law-enforcement officer is in uniform, displays his badge of authority, and (i) has observed the violation or (ii) has received a message by radio or another wireless telecommunication device from another law-enforcement officer who observed the violation. In the case of a person being detained or arrested based on a radio message, the message shall be sent immediately after the violation is observed, and the observing officer shall furnish the license number or other positive identification of the vehicle to the detaining officer.”
Running through a stop sign in Virginia is considered as violating the law and depicting a bad road behavior. Hence, the law enforcement authorities have constructed proper penalties to discourage people from showing careless driving behavior. Therefore failing to follow the traffic laws except in certain stated exceptional situations the driver is charged with a ticket costing at least $88 for the violation of the stop sign and the fine can even exceed till $250.
Exceptions to the law code
As per the Virginia law code section 46.2-833. (Traffic lights)
“B. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a driver of a motorcycle or moped or a bicycle rider approaches an intersection that is controlled by a traffic light, the driver or rider may proceed through the intersection on a steady red light only if the driver or rider (i) comes to a full and complete stop at the intersection for two complete cycles of the traffic light or for two minutes, whichever is shorter, (ii) exercises due care as provided by law, (iii) otherwise treats the traffic control device as a stop sign, (iv) determines that it is safe to proceed, and (v) yields the right of way to the driver of any vehicle approaching on such other highway from either direction.”