Tekknikal
07-04-2007, 06:55 PM
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...if you're caught doing 20mph+ over the limit. As of July 1, Virginia's laws were revised to revamp their traffic offense penalties. Under the new structure, civil charges will range from $750-$3000 for speeding. If you're doing 20mph over the stated speed limit, you will be charged $1,050 plus $61 in court costs- a sharp increase from a ticket that used to be about $200...<!--more-->
The law is one of several thousand that went into effect on July 1, a popular date for the state to make new laws effective. July 1 is also popular for new taxes and fees because its the start of the budget year in 46 states. The new traffic laws in Virginia are expected to raise $65 million every year and are part of an effort to improve the state's roads without increasing taxes.
Among other penalties increased include drunk driving offenses. If you're caught driving under the influence, you will face a $2,250 civil penalty as well as fines and court costs that typically run about $500. If you drive without a license, that's a mandatory $900 fine as well as an additional $100 fine in court costs.
The new law applies only to Virginia residents and is not applicable to out of state drivers as the state did not believe they could enforce it on out of state drivers. Should a VA resident Joe Driver be fined though, he must pay the fine in three installments over 26mths or lose his license.
Motorist club AAA mid-Atlantic commented that it supports the penalties, with its spokesman Lon Anderson noting that although harsh, "normal fines haven't gotten people to drive sanely...maybe this will." He also commented that he hopes the new laws will help reduce the ~1000 traffic deaths every year that the states record, and that "We wish motorists didn't have to pay more, but the fact is Virginia's transportation trust fund is broke."
...if you're caught doing 20mph+ over the limit. As of July 1, Virginia's laws were revised to revamp their traffic offense penalties. Under the new structure, civil charges will range from $750-$3000 for speeding. If you're doing 20mph over the stated speed limit, you will be charged $1,050 plus $61 in court costs- a sharp increase from a ticket that used to be about $200...<!--more-->
The law is one of several thousand that went into effect on July 1, a popular date for the state to make new laws effective. July 1 is also popular for new taxes and fees because its the start of the budget year in 46 states. The new traffic laws in Virginia are expected to raise $65 million every year and are part of an effort to improve the state's roads without increasing taxes.
Among other penalties increased include drunk driving offenses. If you're caught driving under the influence, you will face a $2,250 civil penalty as well as fines and court costs that typically run about $500. If you drive without a license, that's a mandatory $900 fine as well as an additional $100 fine in court costs.
The new law applies only to Virginia residents and is not applicable to out of state drivers as the state did not believe they could enforce it on out of state drivers. Should a VA resident Joe Driver be fined though, he must pay the fine in three installments over 26mths or lose his license.
Motorist club AAA mid-Atlantic commented that it supports the penalties, with its spokesman Lon Anderson noting that although harsh, "normal fines haven't gotten people to drive sanely...maybe this will." He also commented that he hopes the new laws will help reduce the ~1000 traffic deaths every year that the states record, and that "We wish motorists didn't have to pay more, but the fact is Virginia's transportation trust fund is broke."