During the 2020 pandemic shutdown, travel and commuting came to a screeching halt across the United States. Many insurers, including Northern Neck Insurance Company, voluntarily returned car insurance premium due to a reduction in miles driven as Virginians quarantined. With significantly fewer cars on the roads, you would think that translated into fewer speeding violations in Virginia. That's not what happened.
Virginia ranks for speeding by state
When Insurify nationally ranked speeding tickets, Virginia landed in second place for the highest number of speeding tickets in 2021. Only second to Ohio, Virginia packed a whopping 15.76% of drivers on record for speeding infractions and a 34% higher rate of getting caught speeding than any other state. The commonwealth also had the 4th highest national rate for failure to stop violations. By 2023, Virginia was the state with the most reckless drivers in the country, with a 279% higher percentage than the national average!
In 2022 and 2023, and the Virginia State Police banned ticket quotas and launched Operation DISS-rupt (distracted driving, impaired driving, speed compliance, and seat belt safety). The initiative increases the presence of troopers along an entire interstate corridor for two days, concentrating on safety issues, including speeding.
While making an impact, Virginia is still ranks in the top 10 states for the most speeding tickets in 2024. In fact, Virginia is the only East Coast state in the top 10, with 6.6% of drivers reporting speeding tickets on their driving records.
Source: Insurify
Does Virginia have higher rates of speed enforcement than other states?
Virginia passed several new driving laws last year, but reckless driving in Virginia has always been a general rule. When it comes to speeding, a driver who exceeds the speed limit by more than 20 mph is reckless driving in Virginia. But someone who drives a vehicle in a way that endangers someone else's life or property can be charged with reckless driving.
For example, if an officer cites you for violating Virginia's new hands-free law, you could be charged with reckless driving as well if your actions endangered someone else's life.
What is reckless driving in Virginia?
Even with a higher population density than other states with increased reckless driving rates, Old Dominion drivers were also 73% more likely to engage in illegal reckless driving behavior than any state in America during the covid lockdown. Virginia surpassed every other state with 66 reckless driving violations for every 10 K residents.
Here are some other aggressive driving offenses that could lead to a reckless driving charge in Virginia:
- Speeding in excess of 85 mph
- Illegal passing
- Failing to yield right of way
- Drag racing or spinning your wheels
- Driving too fast for the weather conditions
- Driving an overloaded car or truck
- Causing a crash
- Passing a school bus
- Driving with an obstructed view
How does Virginia's Driving Points System work?
Virginia uses a point system to rate drivers. You receive demerit points for unsafe driving and safe driving points for good driving. Most traffic violations carry demerit points. Traffic convictions stay on your record depending on the severity. Speeding 10 mph or more above the posted speed limit and other reckless driving charges result in four to five points on your license and can stay on your record for anywhere from three to five years. More severe reckless driving violations, considered felonies or misdemeanors, can result in six demerit points and stay for eleven years. Demerit points are also assigned for traffic convictions that occur in other states.
How do speeding and reckless driving violations affect your car insurance rates?
All moving violations can impact insurance rates and eligibility. The Virginia DMV posts convictions to your driving record and assigns demerit points based on the severity of the offense. They also notify your insurance carrier. Insurers often consider minor traffic violation history for three years and major violations for five years or more. In Virginia, the average cost of high-risk car insurance is $1,808, but drivers with a reckless driving conviction pay an average of $1,135.
The bottom line is the more points you have on your Virginia driving record, the higher risk you pose for future claims. The higher the risk, the more car insurance will cost you, and determine if a carrier is willing to assume the risk to insure you. When shopping for insurance, three to five years of your DVM driving record will most likely impact your insurance rate. You also may not be considered for a policy at all if you have significant infractions.
Car insurance and good driver discounts
On the flip side, more shopping options and competitive pricing are the reward for a good driving record. Virginia's DMV rewards good drivers with "safe points"; one for every year you hold a state license with no driving violations or suspensions. You can accumulate up to five safe points, which can indicate less risk to insurers.
Insurance premiums can run high for other reasons. Lack of driving experience and age can play a role in assessing risk. Young and inexperienced drivers are more often responsible for insurance claims, so adding a new teen driver is always bound to provide some sticker shock. If your son or daughter just got their license and has great grades, check to see if your insurance carrier has a good student discount program. If you are over 55, you can take a driver improvement course to attain a senior driving discount.
The insurance benefits to a good driving record are pretty clear, not to mention the safety implications for Virginians. If you've got a few dings, doing what you can to avoid new ones and letting time erase the old is a win-win!
Learn more about car insurance in Virginia
Sources:
https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/licenses-ids/improvement/points/assess
https://insurify.com/car-insurance/insights/states-with-the-most-speeding-tickets/
THE NORTHERN NECK INSURANCE INTEGRITY PROMISE — We pledge to provide straight talk and good counsel from our NNINS Virginia insurance experts through our blog. While we hope you find this to be a helpful source of information, it does not replace the guidance of a licensed insurance professional, nor does it modify the terms of your Northern Neck Insurance policy in any way. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy.
