Traffic Defense Richmond

Richmond Traffic Defense

Traffic Defense

Even the best drivers can have a bad day on the road. Traffic offenses in Virginia range from the mundane, like a simple speeding ticket, to the severe, like hit and run or eluding police. Depending on the nature of the offense, a traffic conviction can result one or more of the following:

  • fines and court costs
  • suspension of driving privileges
  • incarceration
  • substance abuse counseling
  • restitution
  • probation
  • community service
  • forfeiture of vehicle

DUI or DWI

Driving under the influence or DUI, sometimes called driving while intoxicated or DWI, is a serious criminal offense that can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony. The effects of a DUI conviction can last for years and cause unimaginable hardship on your life. Consequences of a DUI/DWI can be:

  • suspension of your license for 12 months
  • up to a $2,500 fine
  • jail or prison sentence, with mandatory time for elevated BAC or multiple convictions
  • mandatory participation in the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, on your dime
  • having to blow into an ignition interlock device on your vehicle to start it
  • indeterminate probation with random screens for drugs and alcohol
  • substantial increase in automobile insurance costs, if even available

Speeding

Thinking about prepaying your speeding ticket? Are you planning to not go to court? Before you do, consider these facts:

  • a Virginia speeding ticket can appear on your out-of-state driving record
  • your insurance rates can increase after a single speeding conviction
  • some states, such as North Carolina, will suspend your driver’s license for simple speeding
  • multiple convictions in a short period of time may result in a DMV suspension of your license

We regularly represent clients across the Commonwealth of Virginia who have been charged with all degrees of traffic offenses. By maintaining positive working relationships with police and prosecutors, we work to negotiate favorable outcomes for our clients. And when a situation requires an aggressive defense to a bad charge, our training and trial experience in traffic matters allows us to find the problems in the prosecution’s case and use those to our client’s advantage. In many cases, the client does not need to go to court.

Reckless Driving

If you are charged with reckless driving, don’t think that it is just a traffic ticket. Reckless driving is a Class 1 Misdemeanor, a CRIMINAL offense. A Reckless Driving conviction will:

  • be registered on your permanent criminal history and will remain on your DMV record for up to 11 years
  • increase your insurance premiums for a significant period of time
  • cause issues with your security clearance or your ability to obtain security clearance
  • mostly likely result in you commercial driver’s license (CDL) being revoked and/or your CDL insurance cancelled

Reckless driving is a serious offense that is not “just a traffic ticket.” Our goal is to negotiate or argue for a reduction or even dismissal of a reckless driving charge. In more serious cases such as speed over 90 mph or injury accidents, the goal is to keep a client out of jail and protect their privilege to drive.