How Many Points Will This Ticket Cost Me? Part 3

Part three of our series on DMV points will focus on -4 point violations.  Below is a list from the Virginia DMV, listing what violations are considered 4 demerit point violations and how long they stay on your record. The number of years that the conviction stays on your DMV record is in parentheses beside each violation. An asterisk (*) indicates that the conviction remains on your record permanently. Demerit points will also be assigned to your record for traffic convictions incurred in other states.  The violations listed may change without prior notice.

Reckless Driving/Speeding

• Reckless driving – failure to stop before entering a highway (11 years)
• Speeding (5 years)
• Speeding 10-14 mph above the posted speed limit (5 years)
• Speeding 15-19 mph above the posted speed limit (5 years)
• Speeding 10-19 mph above the posted speed limit (5 years)

Passing

• Passing when unsafe (3 years)
• Passing to the left of approaching vehicle (3 years)

Stopping/Yielding

• Failure to drive to the right and stop for police/fire/emergency vehicle (3 years)
• Failure to stop for pedestrian with white cane (3 years)
• Failure to stop and yield right-of-way (3 years)
• Failure to yield right-of-way (3 years)
• Failure to yield when turning left (3 years)
• Failure to yield to funeral procession (3 years)

Keeping to the Right

• Failure to drive on right half of highway or street (3 years)
• Failure to keep to the right when crossing an intersection (3 years)
• Driving to the left of rotary traffic island (3 years)

Following/Signaling

• Following too closely (3 years)
• Failure to signal before moving from curb (3 years)
• Improper signal (3 years)

Railroad Crossings

• Failure to obey railroad crossing signal (3 years)
• Failure to stop at railroad grade crossing (3 years)
• Failure to keep to the right at a railroad crossing (3 years)
• Failure to stop passenger-carrying vehicle at railroad grade crossing (3 years)
• Railroad crossing/stopping (3 years)
• Improper operation of crawler-type tractor over railroad crossing (3 years)

Railroad Crossings (Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers)

• Failure to slow down/stop at a railroad crossing (*)
• Failure to have sufficient space to drive through a railroad crossing (*)
• Failure to obey traffic control device or enforcement official at a railroad crossing (*)
• Failure to have sufficient undercarriage clearance at a railroad crossing (*)

Other Violations

• Operating a motor vehicle while suspended/revoked/restricted with a blood alcohol content of .02% or more (11 years)
• Failure to stop at the scene of a crash, unattended property, damage in excess of $500 (11 years)
• Passing stopped school bus (non-reckless) (3 years)
• Failure to stop at the scene of a crash, property damage (3 years)
• Emergency vehicle violation – property damage (5 years)
• Emergency vehicle violation – injury (5 years)
• Aggressive driving (5 years)
• Failure to obey traffic signal (3 years)
• Failure to obey lane directional signal (3 years)
• Failure to obey highway lane markings (3 years)
• Improper backing, stopping or turning (3 years)
• Driving the wrong way on one-way highway or street (3 years)
• Impeding/disrupting funeral procession (3 years)
• Disregarding police officer’s signal to stop (3 years)
• Disregarding crossing guard/officer’s signal (3 years)

***The content of this Blog/Web Site does not constitute legal advice.  Because legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case and laws are constantly changing, you should seek the assistance of licensed and competent legal counsel for specific legal advice.***