http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories...3553&ran=83523

Fines raised for reckless driving, speeding on I-95 stretch
By HEATHER GREENFIELD, Associated Press


OCCOQUAN, Va. -- Floor it along a stretch of Interstate 95 and you may really regret it.

Starting Friday, motorists who drive recklessly in the area between Occoquan and Quantico face fines of up to $2,500. Those caught speeding will see their fines doubled.

The high number of traffic fatalities along the 11-mile stretch in Prince William County has prompted the state to designate it a Highway Safety Corridor.

Police unveiled new black and white warning signs Tuesday that mark the area and warn drivers about the extra fines.

The Virginia General Assembly in 2003 passed legislation to set up safety corridors. This section of I-95 was chosen because between 2000 and 2002 it had 1,623 crashes, killing nine people and injuring 800, according to Virginia Department of Transportation officials.

"The goal of the program is to identify high crash areas and make motorists aware of traffic safety and change their driving habits," VDOT Safety Manager Stephen Read said.

This is the third area in the state to have the increased fines. Officials designated safety zones along a 15-mile section of I-81 last year and another section of I-95 in Richmond two months ago.

State trooper Mike Counts said in just two months, officers have made 900 arrests along I-95 in Richmond and 1,000 arrests on I-81. They have also seen a decrease in fatalities.

He hopes for the same in northern Virginia, which represents about 6 percent of the I-95 corridor in the state, but has 13 percent of the accidents.

"If we can avert a potential traffic accident, then maybe we can save a life," Counts said, promising his colleagues will be out in force to write tickets. Those charged with a criminal offense like driving while intoxicated or reckless driving - defined as going 80 mph or weaving through traffic - face a fine of at least $200 all the way up $2,500.

The extra fine money goes to Virginia's literacy fund.

Read said VDOT officials will now look at accident statistics and consider creating similar safety zones on Routes 1, 7, 123 and 234.

 

Just an FYI, 2500 was already the max fine for reckless driving. Ask me how I know

 

Has anyone actually READ the signs?

Min fine for Traffic violations $500
Min fine for criminal violations $200

WTF?!? Speeding is more expensive than DWI?!? **** that. ******** just prooved that it's just for the ******* revenue.

*sigh* And I drive through there all the ******* time.

 

Va. welcome to the **** commonwealth...

 

i don't understand how 80 is considered reckless. Most other cars on the road are going 70-75.

 

I remember 3 years ago on my way back from florida i got pulled over by some ******* **** of an officer in VA. I think it was in Spotsylvania or something like that. I was doing 83 in the 65 and i got a ticket for reckless driving. I was like you got to be kidding me, i understand giving me a ticket for speeding, but RECKLESS DRIVING? I was no where near driving reckless. The officer responded with "anything over the speed limit of 80 is considered reckless driving in the state of virginia". Virginia really is a fucked up state!!

 

Well thank God for these new safety corridors! Out of the 1600 accidents do they state how many were minor fender benders and how many occured in the ice storms weve had these past few years....
John

 

And how many are due to Virginia handing out licenses like they're candy...

Look at the driver's ed program... I bullshitted in driver's ed, slept half the time and still got an A.

Then behind the wheel... A week's worth of classes (Working week even... 5 days.) Maybe an hour or watching and an hour of driving each day... Bam. License.

What about Virginia's high quality roads... I mean have you even been through the Springfield interchange... That's an engineering marvel if I ever saw one... And to think that the original plan was to have all those enterance and exit ramps ONE LANE...

Well, when you don't teach people to merge properly, you're gonna have wrecks with people trying to get in first to wait in congestion...

And we're still don't have any laws on cell phones... DC and Maryland have required hands free kits for at least a year now... Virginia? Nothing... Talk all you want...

It's not the cops... It's the people who make the ******* laws that suck.

 

Yea 20 mph over the posted speed is reckless in Virginia.
I got one a long time ago on U.S. 64 coming back from Lynchburg.

 

Well eventually the citizens of Virginia might get fed up with being raped enough that they decide to get involved in local politics. Electing officials that can change the traffic laws is the opnly way that it will ever change. You guys need to all get involved and vote these rapists out of office. Make a stink if you don't like it.

 

I have no clue who to talk to, and even if I do, the response would probably be, "You broke the law, you deal with the consequences."

 

That would actually be a great platform to run on. Chris- are you in?
John

 

I don't understand why police officers can fly around, speeding everywhere (without their emergency lights on). I saw a cop on 123 turn on his lights just to go through a red light at 1am. I also was sitting at a red light one time and I saw a car flying up on me and then i heard screetching tires so i brased for an impact but the car swerved at the last second missing me by mere inches......it was a cop.....he didn't even look over to apologize.

 

damn, thank god im never on that stretch of road

 

In my opinion, DC's rush hour is caused by virginia. ... There's a joke that drivers in the DC area have "water soluble intelligence" meaning if it precipitates then people lose half their IQ points. I think all the people losing their IQ points are from Virginia.

 

Well i'm just glad i'm protected by Pre Paid Legal Services So the fines will be dropped!! I'm waiting to get pulled over so i stay in the 70-100mph range on 695... :-D

 

I'd like to see the MD driving test sometime.. Just ot compare.

 

But not the points or the jail time...

 

Or 15 mph over in a 65 mph zone.

 

Didn't know that one. I am not surpeised. Seems like this is all you hear about Va anymore.

 

Thats a good one. Here at the workplace, a co-worker and I came up with the same theory for MD motorist. It probably explains why we have so many fatal accidents, road closings, and downed infrastructure anytime rain or snow falls.

Its no different than VA...you tend to wonder why so much emphasis is placed on the parallel park and 3-point manuevers, when most seroius accidents don't occur during either- they need to find some way to configure a judgment aptitude test along with basic vehicle physics. On that note, the same fools drive both into and out of VA and DC when it comes to commuting. The infection has spread to the tri-state area a long time ago, but it seems the gestapo are cracking down on VA a bit harder than parts of MD.

 

LOL pretty much. Every time I check out the NE section, there are at least a few threads about VA

Reading this thread got me pissed as it is, because I too have seen the cops FLYING on the highways at night, or blowing lights by turning their lights on for a sec at 2 am, and then turning them back off.

I'm also sooo pissed that they will actually throw someone in JAIL for speeding. And we're not talking doing 150 in a 50 zone...we're talkin doin 78 in a 55 (and most places in VA have a 55 and under speed limit). That is absolutely RETARDED.

"In just two months, officers have made 900 arrests along I-95 in Richmond and 1,000 arrests on I-81" Dear God. They've sent TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE TO JAIL IN TWO MONTHS?! No one else sees a HUGE problem here? Is it just me or is NoVa in an isolated twilight zone, and no one else realizes that the rest of the WORLD isn't anywhere nearly as crazy to do something like this?? I'd love to see how them coppers would do spending one night in jail...

Dave's right tho btw...nothing's gonna change here until it gets soo bad (like now lol) that ppl get fed up enough to get involved in local politics. If I knew how, and had the time, I'd soo be spearheading this. Cuz this is complete BULL. Look at this retarded logic: NoVa gas 6 percent of the I-95 corridor in the state, but has 13 percent of the accidents." Uhh...that's prob cuz we have 90% of the freakin population!

Did anyone else notice this portion: "Read said VDOT officials will now look at accident statistics and consider creating similar safety zones on Routes 1, 7, 123 and 234." As if those roads aren't patrolled enough already...

 

It's 8 miles between my apartment and my parent's house on Rt. 1...

EVERY time I drive it, I see NO LESS THAN four cops.

 

Hey guys...get this. According to one of VA's Prosecutors, the new "law" (I believe it's unofficial, but this is the standard they're now using) is a day in jail for every mile over 90mph...so you get caught doin 97mph, in addition to the $250 or $500 minimum fine and license suspension for a few months, you're spending SEVEN days in jail. That's what the JUDGE will throw at you. That's NOT including the over-nighter the cop will pull you in for when you get caught on the spot lol...that one's just for starters. To get you warmed up, if you will...

So if you see lights doin 140 or so, well...the RX7 is a very fast car...