Virginia Beach Speeding Ticket Attorney

In Virginia, thousands of drivers are issued speeding citations each year, with most choosing to pay the required fee rather than challenging their charges in court. If you were recently cited for speeding, it may be tempting to follow suit and simply pay your fine. However, fighting your ticket in court is often a better solution in the long run. Contrary to what many people believe, the consequences of receiving a speeding ticket do not end once you pay your fine, and even a minor speeding offense can wreak havoc on your future. Fortunately, a Virginia Beach speeding ticket attorney can help you avoid such negative consequences and, in many cases, get your charges reduced or dismissed entirely.

Under Virginia law, anyone who drives 1 to 19 miles above the posted speed limit can be charged with speeding. Reckless driving charges will be applied in cases where a driver violates the speed limit by 20 miles or more. Although the exact amount of your fine will vary based on the district that issued the citation, you can expect to be fined at least $5 for every mile you were driving above the speed limit—for example, a ticket for driving 10 miles over the speed limit would have a fine of $50 or more.

Many people don’t realize that, by paying their citation fine, they are pleading guilty to the offense. As a result, the violation will be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles, and remain on your driving record for five years or more. This means that when it’s time to renew your auto insurance policy, your provider will see you were convicted of speeding—which, in most cases, will lead to a steep increase in your insurance rates.

In addition to raising your insurance rates, a speeding ticket can also jeopardize your employment if your job responsibilities require a clean driving record. Professional drivers, such as commercial truckers, taxi drivers, and chauffeurs, may not only lose their current job, but also find themselves ineligible for future opportunities.

Like many states, Virginia uses the point system to keep track of habitual speeders. The DMV assigns a specific number of points, or demerits, to every traffic offense, with more serious offenses having more points than minor violations. When you are found guilty of a particular offense, the appropriate points are then applied to your driving record. If you accumulate 18 points within a one-year period, or 24 points within two years, your driver’s license could be suspended. Depending on how fast you were driving, a speeding violation can add three to four points to your driving record: three points for driving 1 to 9 miles above the speed limit, and four points for speeds between 10 and 19 miles.

Fortunately, an experienced defense attorney can often reduce the consequences of a speeding ticket. With over a decade of trial experience, attorney Michael C. Tillotson is well-versed in Virginia’s speeding laws, and can use his knowledge to fight for you. In many cases, Mr. Tillotson can negotiate a reduced sentence—such as attending a driver’s education program—and, in turn, keep the charges off your driving record. Contact Michael C. Tillotson today for your free, no-obligation consultation.