Reckless Driving IS a Misdemeanor
Virginia reckless IS a misdemeanor, which could cause repercussions for your employment if you’re convicted.
Video Transcription
Hello, my name is Andrew Flusche. I’m a Virginia traffic and misdemeanor attorney. Some people may not know that Virginia reckless driving is a misdemeanor. I’ve heard from several people that they got a reckless driving ticket in Virginia, they called the court, and the court told them not to worry, that they’ll just be found guilty in their absence and sent a bill. So they just waited for the bill and paid it and were found guilty in their absence.
For some minor sort of reckless driving, such as reckless by speed where it’s close to the reckless driving cut-off line of 20 mph over the limit or just over 80 mph, some of those people have been surprised to find out later on that it is indeed a misdemeanor conviction. I’ve talked with more than one person, unfortunately, who found out later on when they were applying for a job; they were asked if they had ever been convicted of a misdemeanor, and since they weren’t aware of any misdemeanors, they said “No” and when the employer ran a background check they found a reckless driving. Now the person thinks that they were denied the position because they seemed to be lying. They said they weren’t convicted of any misdemeanors, but here is a misdemeanor reckless driving conviction.
It’s just a small example of why you really need to talk to an attorney if you’re charged with reckless driving. It’s not just a ticket. It’s a misdemeanor charge. Now that’s not to say it’s something that will really keep you out of jobs, but it’s something you need to know about, and know the full ramifications about. If you’re asked on a job application, you need to be able to disclose that you did have that ticket, and hopefully it won’t be a problem. So I really recommend talking to an attorney, and talking to a local traffic attorney, who regularly practices in the court where your reckless driving ticket is pending.
