By Criminal Defense Attorney Thomas Soldan of Price Benowitz LLP
The Virginia legislature has taken the step of doubling the fines associated with distracted driving offenses when those offenses occur in highway work zones, from the standard $125 fine for a first offense to $250 for a first offense.
Distracted driving is illegal and dangerous, and is considered a “primary offense”, meaning that a police officer can stop you if they believe they see you texting.
“These laws are important to protecting the safety of highway workers as well as drivers,” said Thomas Soldan, a Virginia Traffic Lawyer. However, Virginia has not outright banned the use of mobile phones for voice calls in a vehicle, nor have they banned the use of phones for GPS or other online services.
This means that questions can arise about the action being taken by a driver when pulled over. Answering a call can look like texting, as can dialing a number or typing in an address on your phone’s GPS.
If you have been ticketed for distracted driving and believe that ticket was improper because you were completing some other allowed action on your phone, you should consult with a Virginia Traffic Attorney. Though distracted driving tickets do not carry heavy criminal penalties, they do carry fines that increase with each subsequent ticket.
That means that if you are incorrectly ticketed the first time but decline to challenge the matter, and then you are properly ticketed at a later date, you will end up paying double the fine on the second ticket when you should only be paying the fine for a first offense.
Additionally, if you were not guilty of distracted driving, there is no reason for your record to reflect being charged with such. The prosecutor is responsible for ensuring that all elements of the charge levied are met in order to be successful. Failing to assert your rights and challenge the ticket is essentially doing the prosecutor’s job for them.
It is never a good idea to allow your rights to go unenforced, even with something that may seem as trivial as a the fine associated with a ticket. Contact a Virginia Traffic Lawyer if you have been ticketed for distracted driving to see that your rights are protected.
Recent Stories
Good Tuesday evening, Arlington. Today we published articles that were read a total of 42526 times… so far. 📈 Top stories The following are the most-read articles for today —…
(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) Two local chefs have been named semifinalists for a prestigious James Beard award. Rahman “Rock” Harper of Queen Mother’s Fried Chicken on Columbia Pike and Kevin…
The Ballston and East Falls Church Metro stations are among those set to be impacted by a multi-week closure starting in June.
Fairlington author Amina Luqman-Dawson has received two awards for her novel, “Freewater.” The middle-grade book about a secret community of formerly enslaved people living in the wilderness received both the…
Need help dealing with anxiety, depression or stress?
If you’re struggling to cope with anxiety, depression or stress, our virtual psychotherapy services can help. We offer a confidential and convenient service that’s tailored to your needs.
In our practice, cognitive behavioral therapy (or CBT) is an important tool we use to provide effective relief for those facing anxiety and depression. We believe that cognitive change can be used to improve behaviors and emotions, thus allowing you to achieve mental wellness. By understanding the cognitive distortions that lead to negative thought patterns, we are able to create interventions tailored to each of our clients. This empowering approach can help you gain control of how your own thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors impact your experience. With CBT, our service provides an effective treatment that can bring long-term change and mental stability.
Book a free consultation today and see how we can help you live a happier and healthier life.
St. Charles offers a play-based curriculum in a welcoming, Christ-centered environment.
Our program focuses on socio-emotional development and kindergarten readiness through hands-on and engaging activities. Our programs offer different schedules ranging from 7:30 am-5:30 pm for students, ages 2-5. We feature a full-day Jr. kindergarten class for older 4’s/5’s. Our facility includes a full-sized gymnasium, school chapel, and library. All of our students enjoy music and physical education weekly. Children have an opportunity to participate in enrichment classes such as soccer, basketball, ballet, and science.
We offer Summer Camp with weekly themes and twice a week water play, including Fun Friday moon bounce. Please join us for our Open House Feb. 3 at 9:30 am and 11:00 am. Click here to sign-up.
For more information or to schedule a tour, visit us at www.stcharlesarlington.org or call (703) 527-0608.
Almost, Maine
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, join us for a series of vignettes that revolve around the theme of love. Taking place in an almost-town called Almost, Maine, we will show you different, but important, facet of love in each
First-time Moms Meet & Greet
The truth, your first pregnancy and new mom months are full of twists and turns, ups and downs, and lots of questions! None of us really know the best way to do it – we just figure it out, together…
