LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Loudoun County's Board of Supervisors is moving forward on creating a new traffic offense which will provide options to the state’s all-or-nothing reckless driving charge.
According to a press release, the nearly six-year effort by Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman will allow Loudoun sheriff's deputies that are investigating a minor crash the discretion to issue a summons to a driver instead of 'Reckless Driving' -- a Class 1 misdemeanor.
If a driver is convicted of Reckless Driving, they could face up to $2,500 in fines and up to one year in jail.
The amended ordinances, Failure by the operator to give full-time attention to driving and the Failure to keep a vehicle under control, will be pre-payable by a maximum $250 fine and would not issue points towards a driver’s record.
"The amendments relieve our deputies of the current state code constraints and provide drivers a much fairer legal recourse," Sheriff Chapman said. "Previously, the charge of Reckless Driving could only be reduced to Improper Driving, a less serious charge, by a judge or at the request of the Commonwealth Attorney," Sheriff Chapman added.
Across the Commonwealth of Virginia, law enforcement officers have little option but to charge an at-fault driver involved in minor accidents with Reckless Driving for accidents not witnessed by the deputy/officer.
Since 2014, Sheriff Chapman has urged the General Assembly to amend Improper Driving statute language and has taken extensive efforts to support statewide legislation that would remedy the current Virginia Code.
The amendment to Loudoun County’s Ordinances will mirror those of 11 other Virginia jurisdictions that established local ordinances providing law enforcement officers the ability to cite drivers for a lesser charge.
Sheriff Chapman will continue to work with Virginia state legislators to establish a uniform code for law enforcement regarding Improper Driving.