If you're a speed-happy Marylander who occasionally drives into Virginia, you'd better leave your lead foot on this side of the Potomac. Unlike in Maryland, where cotton-candy traffic laws virtually invite extreme speeding, Virginia takes such behavior seriously.
Under the laws of the commonwealth, exceeding the speed limit by 20 mph or more is classified as reckless driving. Going 80 mph or more, no matter what the speed limit, is also reckless driving.
That's a Class 1 misdemeanor under Virginia law, punishable by a jail term of up to a year and a fine of $2,500. A conviction on that charge will go on your criminal record - permanently. Your driving privileges in Virginia can be suspended for six months - potentially jacking up your insurance rates. If you hold a commercial driving license or a security clearance, your career could suffer.
All this and more comes from an article, "The Shocking Truth about Reckless Driving Speeding in Virginia," written by Henrico County defense lawyer Bob Battle and available at his Web site, www.bobbattlelaw.com. Battle knows his stuff when it comes to serious traffic charges in Virginia, but you're better off if you never need his services.
Battle is a critic of Virginia's treatment of speeders. I'm not - and would like to see Maryland show a similar seriousness about traffic safety.
Let's say you're cruising down Interstate 95 doing 84 mph in a 65 mph zone. If you're in Maryland, you're looking at a $160 fine and two points for exceeding the limit by 10-19 mph. If you get a kindly judge, you might walk off with probation before judgment and no points. There's no need to get a lawyer.
If you're on Virginia's stretch of I-95, according to Battle, you're looking at a ticket for reckless driving speeding - with all the penalties listed above. You must appear in court or have a lawyer represent you. If you're a no-show, the judge is likely to convict you in absentia and issue a warrant. The next time you're pulled over in the commonwealth, you could find yourself in a county pokey.
If you are convicted, Battle says, the judge has no authority to waive the six points Virginia imposes. And Virginia doesn't do PBJs. Prepare for a big insurance premium.
Battle advises that motorists foolish enough to drive more than 90 mph on Virginia roads are routinely thrown in the clink. Judges right across the Potomac in Fairfax County are especially tough on extreme speeders, he warns.
