Don't get pulled over in VA

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Virginians Face $3,000 Traffic Ticket

By Dennis Cauchon,USA Today

Posted: 2007-07-01 15:18:05

Filed Under: Law, Nation

(July 1) - Virginia is for lovers, or so the state slogan has declared since 1969. Starting today, Virginia also will be the home of the $3,000 traffic ticket. In an effort to raise money for road projects, the state will start hitting residents who commit serious traffic offenses with huge civil penalties.

Photo Gallery: New State Laws

Seth Perlman, AP A patrolman walks from his car in Illinois last September. Virginia issued new traffic penalties Sunday charging resident drivers exhorbitant fees for severe traffic violations.

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Beginning Sunday, Virginia is adding new civil charges to traffic fines. They range from $750 to $3,000 and will be added to existing fines and court costs. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit will be $1,050, plus $61 in court costs and a fine that is typically about $200.

The new civil charges range from $750 to $3,000 and be added to existing fines and court costs. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit will be $1,050, plus $61 in court costs and a fine that is typically about $200.

Virginia's traffic law is one of several thousand new state laws that take effect Sunday. Jan. 1 and July 1 are the most popular dates for state laws to become official.

July 1 is especially popular for new taxes and fees because it's the start of the budget year in 46 states. For example, Arkansas will cut its sales tax on groceries from 6% to 3% Sunday.

Virginia's new traffic penalties are expected to raise $65 million a year and are part of an effort to improve the state's roads without raising taxes.

A first-time drunken driver will face a $2,250 civil penalty, plus fines and court costs that typically run about $500 or more. Driving without a license? That's a mandatory $900 civil penalty, in addition to the ordinary $100 for a fine and court costs.

"It's outrageous," says traffic court attorney Thaddeus Furlong of Springfield, Va. "When Mr. and Mrs. Middle Class find out what they have to pay, there's going to be a backlash like you've never seen."

Some other states impose extra civil penalties for traffic offenses, but the cost is usually $100 or $200, Furlong says. "What sets this apart is the Draconian size of the civil penalties," he says.

Another difference: The civil penalties apply only to Virginia residents, not out-of-state drivers. Virginians must pay in three installments over 26 months or lose their licenses. The state Legislature didn't think it could enforce the extra penalties in other states.

Motorist club AAA Mid-Atlantic supports the new penalties.

"These penalties are harsh, but normal fines haven't gotten people to drive sanely. Maybe this will," says Lon Anderson, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic.

He says the new law will help reduce the nearly 1,000 traffic deaths the state records annually.

"We wish motorists didn't have to pay more, but the fact is Virginia's transportation trust fund is broke," Anderson says.

Other new laws taking effect July 1:

Holy Crap.

[JetPhoto 626]

Darn, all those times I did 95 on I 95, I guess I'll have to slow down now!

[RescueKujo 130]

I wonder if the possibility of those fines will cut into the tourist business in Virginia.

[AFS1970 504]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but if the goal was to raise money and as an aside also try and make the roads safer, why add a second kind of penalty? Couldn't the existing fines simply be increased? I think those new rates are way too high, but if the state want's to chage 3K for speeding then why not just change the law so they can write a 3K infraction?

[Monty 35]

Actually, it seems better to not be a resident if driving through Virginia. These 'civil' fines only apply to residents.

The civil penalties apply only to Virginia residents, not out-of-state drivers.

The state Legislature didn't think it could enforce the extra penalties in other states.

[Oswegowind 17]

Whew, thanks for pointing that out!!! That would be something...lets just hope NY don't get no ideas!!!!

On a side note, don't have your sirius/xm receiver on the dash when travelling through VA, they automatically assume it is a radar detector! How is that not profiling??????? "Sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm trying to get my radar detector ticket for the day."

[JJB531 652]

Whew, thanks for pointing that out!!! That would be something...lets just hope NY don't get no ideas!!!!

I'm sure Bloomberg has already held a conference call with Spitzer and the Governor of Virginia.... let's get the cops to write more speeders so we can give them a 2% raise and use the rest of the money to plant more trees and cut taxes for the upper class....

[helicopper 1,050]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but if the goal was to raise money and as an aside also try and make the roads safer, why add a second kind of penalty? Couldn't the existing fines simply be increased? I think those new rates are way too high, but if the state want's to chage 3K for speeding then why not just change the law so they can write a 3K infraction?

It may be because fines go to the jurisdiction where the offense occurred (at least that's how it works in NYS) and the civil penalty would go to the State for the "road projects". Civil penalties exist in NY already - just let your insurance lapse and DMV will smack you with a $5.00 per day civil penalty. The lesson here is if you take a car off the road, surrender the plates BEFORE you cancel the insurance! Once you get the receipt from DMV for the plates, cancel the insurance so you don't get jacked for the penalty.

I'm pretty sure that NYS also assesses civil penalties for DWI offenses - to the tune of several hundred dollars.

So Virginia isn't the only one - we just haven't added $1000 penalties to speeding tickets yet!

Safe driving!!

Edited July 3, 2007 by Chris192

[JJB531 652]

NYS charges an $850 civil penalty if you are convicted of operating a motor vehicle without insurance....

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Our Town now has the ADA process all the traffic tickets that come to our court. Last week however I had court and do to the overloading helped the DA out. He told me that instead of knocking something down to a EQUIPMENT VIOLATON knock it down to PARKED ON PAVEMENT because the Town gets all the money and the State doesn't.

[Reliance 29]

Whew, thanks for pointing that out!!! That would be something...lets just hope NY don't get no ideas!!!!

On a side note, don't have your sirius/xm receiver on the dash when travelling through VA, they automatically assume it is a radar detector! How is that not profiling??????? "Sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm trying to get my radar detector ticket for the day."

New York already does.

I got caught doing 75 in a 55 on the I 90 New York thruway and did not pay it for about three months after I got back to Nova Scotia, Canada and had two letters written to me from Schenectany, New York and finally a third registered letter telling me to pay the $25 US fine or lose my Nova Scotia license and not set foot back in New York.

[Oswegowind 17]

New York already does.

I got caught doing 75 in a 55 on the I 90 New York thruway and did not pay it for about three months after I got back to Nova Scotia, Canada and had two letters written to me from Schenectany, New York and finally a third registered letter telling me to pay the $25 US fine or lose my Nova Scotia license and not set foot back in New York.

I think you missed the boat here! $25 fine compared to a $3000 fine is quite a difference even in Canadian Currency I would think...NY does charge surcharges, but they are not nearly the same when speaking about speeding summonses!

[Reliance 29]

I think you missed the boat here! $25 fine compared to a $3000 fine is quite a difference even in Canadian Currency I would think...NY does charge surcharges, but they are not nearly the same when speaking about speeding summonses!

Yes but I neglected to say was it was 27 years ago.

[E58RET 24]

If you check the law NYS has a stiff penalty for DWI andDUI on a civic level,they are charged for a number of years post incident.