Traffic Tickets for Out-of-State Drivers in Virginia
(804) 355-8037
DUI – Speeding Tickets – Reckless Driving Tickets for drivers outside of Virginia
Virginia traffic offenses are famous for “traveling” back to the accused’s home state and causing problems there. For instance, in North Carolina, your license will be suspended if you are convicted of driving more than 15 miles per hour above the speed limit in a 55 or more mile-per-hour zone in Virginia (not to mention the insurance ramifications for North Carolina residents convicted of various Virginia traffic offenses). In New Jersey, many traffic violations occurring in Virginia will result in a resident surcharge. And the vast majority of states will refuse to grant and renew driver’s licenses to residents who are listed as habitual offenders in Virginia, even if you have permanently moved from Virginia.
For once, computers have not made our lives easier. With all 50 states’ departments of motor vehicles and criminal branches now linked electronically, drivers are usually required to address and resolve driving violations wherever they occur.
If you live outside of Virginia and received a traffic violation ticket in Virginia (out-of-state Virginia speeding ticket or Out-of-state reckless driving tickets in Virginia), we can help. The Virginia traffic offense law firm of The Weiland Firm, PLC has helped hundreds of out-of-state drivers fully clear their driving record in Virginia.
There are numerous factors involved when fighting out-of state traffic violations received in Virginia. We can provide a free assessment of your case, help you understand what you need to do in regard to clearing your record, and fight to prove your innocence or have your charges dismissed or reduced. The law firm of The Weiland Firm, PLC has successfully helped residents from numerous states, including but not limited to North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Florida and Washington, D.C. For a no-charge discussion of your case, contact our office.
About Out of State Drivers and Speeding Tickets
There was a time, years ago, when getting a speeding ticket out of one’s own state meant little or nothing to some people. This was because there was not a good way for each state to send records of driving infractions to every other state. While some who received tickets chose to pay up, others were said to have acted with a “catch me if you can” attitude, knowing that the ticket information had little or no way of following them to their home state.
Technology and Out of State Tickets
The nation wide availability of the internet and wireless computers has changed how officers give and record tickets both in and out of one’s home state. The majority of police cars today are equipped with a wireless laptop computer. This means that it is no longer necessary for the officer to make a call to dispatch in order to obtain information that can be gleaned from your license plate. Instead, they are able to enter the plate information into their laptop and quickly access information no matter which state you are in. This information may include the name and address of the registered owner, the year, make, and VIN of the car as well as information about the expiration of a license and any types of suspensions that are related to the license plate. Additional information can also be pulled up relating specifically to the owner of the car. This includes the name, address on file, birthday, social security number, hair and eye color and information about when the license expires as well as any suspensions listed on the owner’s information.
Transfer of Information State to State
Information related to licenses and vehicles is stored today in different databases. The National Driver Register is the one of these. The purpose of this database is to record and provide information about licenses that are revoked or suspended and keep a record of individuals who may have been caught driving under the influence. Because this information is shared freely from state to state, one’s home state will be able to access such information before they provide or renew a license. The Driver License Compact or DLC is another database that stores information related to offenses in other states. This agreement between states was created so that each state could have uniform requirements, laws, and punishments. This means that any ticket or penalty that one may incur out of state will be recorded and sent to the home state. Should those tickets be ignored, the home state would not willingly renew the license. This rapid transfer of information means that those who receive out of state tickets must deal with them instead of simply ignoring them.
Points and Insurance
Those who have had traffic tickets understand that the punishment is not only felt with the dollar amount linked to the ticket. A speeding ticket has the possibility of leaving a lingering fee that is related to an increase in one’s insurance costs. This is because insurance company prices insurance based on the risk pool that individuals fall into. A basic assumption on the part of the insurance provider is that those who do not speed are less likely to have car accidents and should have a lower premium. Many who may have received a speeding ticket out of state may wonder how to keep that information from increasing their insurance rates. According to insurance.com, one ticket can raise an average driver’s premiums by over 20%.
Is There any Help for Out of State Drivers?
There is help for those who receive a ticket out of state and are concerned about the residual costs of said ticket. A traffic attorney may be familiar with ways to lessen or even get rid of the ticket altogether. This is a much better solution to working on your own case which may require frequent trips to and from the state in which you received the ticket. A traffic attorney may be able to argue on the behalf of a ticketed driver, asking for a reduced fee or a complete dismissal. They may also be able to help drivers sign up for internet based defensive driving courses to help lower penalties or fines.
Technology, specifically the internet and computers, has changed what getting an out of state speeding ticket really means. Today it means that the chances are very high that both the home state and the insurance company will find out about the infraction and levy fees and penalties. By hiring a traffic attorney that is local to the state in which the ticket was received, many are finding that some, if not all of the fees and penalties can be avoided completely.
Contact Us
If you have received an out-of-state Virginia traffic violation, contact our firm. We provide free initial consultations, accept credit cards and are conveniently located near I-95 and I-295 in the Richmond area. Call us at (804) 355-8037 or contact us online.
Read More:
What Effect Will a Ticket in Virginia Have on my North Carolina License?
What Effect Will a Virginia Ticket Have On My Pennsylvania Driver License?
The Weiland Firm, PLC defends out-of-state drivers who have been ticketed within the City of Richmond and other jurisdictions locally surrounding the Richmond area. These jurisdictions include Brunswick County Va, Bowling Green Va, Caroline County Va, Chesterfield County, Colonial Heights Va, Dinwiddie County, Emporia Va, Greensville County Va, Hanover County, Henrico County Va, Hopewell Va, Lawrenceville Va, King George County Va, Mecklenburg County Va, New Kent County Va, Petersburg Va, Prince George County, Richmond Va, Spotsylvania County Va, Stafford County, Sussex County Va
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