Speed limits, laws and fines in Virginia
Content
The following is an overview of the laws, restrictions, and penalties associated with traffic violations in the state of Virginia.
Speed limits in Virginia
70 mph: The maximum speed limit for rural interstates and freeways.
65 mph: urban highways and freeways
55 mph: other highways
45 mph: Maximum speed limit for trucks, tractors, utility vehicles, vehicles towing self-propelled vehicles, and caravans.
35 mph: highways in cities or towns (excluding interstates and other divided highways with limited access)
35 mph: unpaved highway
25 mph: business and residential areas
School zones correspond to those published.
Code of Virginia at reasonable and reasonable speed
The law of maximum speed:
According to section 46.2-861 of the VA Vehicle Code, "a person is found guilty of reckless driving which exceeds a reasonable speed under the circumstances and traffic conditions prevailing at the time, regardless of any posted speed limit."
Minimum speed law:
Sections 46.2-877 and 46.2-804 state:
"No one should drive a car at such a low speed that it interferes with the normal and reasonable movement of traffic."
“A person moving at a speed below normal must move in the lane closest to the right edge or right curb of the highway, if such a lane is free for traffic. There is an exception to this requirement if the right lane of a particular motorway is reserved for slow moving traffic.”
Due to differences in speedometer calibration, tire size, and inaccuracies in speed detection technology, it is rare for an officer to stop a driver for speeding less than five miles. However, technically, any excess can be considered a speed violation, so it is recommended not to go beyond the established limits.
While it can be difficult in Virginia to challenge a speeding ticket due to the absolute speed limit law, a driver can go to court and plead not guilty based on one of the following:
The driver may object to the determination of the speed. To qualify for this protection, the driver must know how his or her speed was determined and then learn to disprove its accuracy.
The driver may claim that, due to an emergency, the driver violated the speed limit to prevent injury or damage to himself or others.
The driver may report a case of misidentification. If a police officer records a driver speeding and subsequently has to find him again in a traffic jam, he may have made a mistake and stopped the wrong car.
Speeding ticket in Virginia
First-time offenders may:
Will be fined up to $8 per mile for speeding, plus a $51 handling fee and a $200 residential speeding fee.
Be sentenced to up to 10 days in prison
Suspend license (based on a points system)
Reckless driving ticket in Virginia
In Virginia, exceeding the speed limit by 20 mph or driving in excess of 80 mph regardless of the speed limit is considered reckless driving.
First-time offenders may:
Be fined up to $2,500
Be sentenced to imprisonment for up to one year
Suspend license (by court order or points system)
Violators may be required to attend a driver training clinic.
