Reckless driving in Virginia is classified as a criminal misdemeanor. 17C-13-3. On a . Code 1950, 18.1-310; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. (a) A person may not drive a motor vehicle at a slow speed that impedes or blocks the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with the law. Impeding traffic is typically defined as when a driver is not operating their vehicle reasonably and blocks the normal flow of traffic. Proof of insurance as required by Va. Code 46.2-2143, as amended, and shall include . No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law.Whenever the Commissioner of Highways or local . All user-contributed content is owned by its authors. Penalty: Fine plus 3 or 4 demerit points depending upon circumstances, Drivers are not allowed to move off of the roadway and onto public or private property in order to evade a stop sign, yield sign, traffic light, or traffic control device. 22400. Penalties for Driving Too Slow. No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law or except when the vehicle is temporarily unable to maintain a greater speed due to a combination of the . 527, 810, 818; 2003, cc. The trial court found Abateco guilty of four willful violations of the health and safety standards, and it assessed a total penalty of $9,665. Penalty: Fine plus 4 demerit points, Drivers must leave a prudent amount of space between his vehicle and other vehicles on the road. Fines typically range from about $15 to $250. (a) No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic-control . In general, the points associated with a conviction for a traffic infraction will be either: 3 points. 46.2-809.1. In the event of such an emergency, accident, or breakdown, the emergency flashing lights of such vehicle shall be turned on if the vehicle is equipped with such lights and such lights are in working order. Penalty: Fine plus 4 demerit point. MCL 257.602. Penalty: Fine plus 4 demerit points, Slow-moving traffic must stay in the rightmost lane that is feasible. Regulation of Traffic Chapter 8. However, pre-paying the fine is an admission of guilt and will result in a conviction for a traffic infraction on the offenders Virginia driving record for 5 years. A Driving Too Slowly charge in Virginia under Va. Code 46.2-877 is a traffic infraction. Abateco appealed the penalty assessment to the Circuit Court of the City of Staunton. For traffic . The Michigan law dealing with impeding traffic tickets is MCL 257.676b and provides in pertinent part: "(1) Subject to subsection (2), a person, without authority, shall not block, obstruct, impede, or otherwise interfere with the normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic upon a public street . 11-606) Sec. Under Texas law, a vehicle "may not drive so slowly as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance with law." Tex. A person who is driving: (1) on a roadway that has not more than one (1) lane of traffic in each direction; and . Drivers must ascertain safety before switching lanes. A school zone is all school property, including school grounds and any street or highway abutting the school grounds and extending one hundred twenty-five feet along the street or highway from the school grounds and, in the case of school property not abutting a street or highway but accessed through a right-of-way granted for entrance to school property, a school zone established by an engineering study conducted by the Division of Highways is all school property, including school grounds and any property within the access right-of-way, and extending one hundred twenty-five feet along the street or highway from the entrance to the access right-of-way. ARTICLE 5A. If the driver is capable of safely doing so and the vehicle is movable, the driver may move the vehicle from the roadway to prevent obstructing the regular flow of traffic; provided, however, that the movement of the vehicle to prevent the obstruction of traffic shall not relieve the law-enforcement officer of his duty pursuant to 46.2-373. Enrolled Committee Substitute for House Bill 4042, Enrolled Committee Substitute for Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 583, Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 206, Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 202, Search for phrases with double quotes around the phrase like this: claims commission, Use a + symbol in front of a word to include it and use a in front of a word to exclude it from searches like this: +railroad -sign, If you type multiple words without quotes or +/- symbols, the search will look for all results containing any of the words. ARTICLE 3. 346. . Statutes Title 9, Offenses Against Public Order and Decency; Chapter 42, Disorderly Conduct and Related Offenses; Section 42.03, Obstructing Highway or Other Passageway. For more information on demerit points and DMV drivers license suspension in Virginia, click here. While every effort is made to keep all information More severe traffic violations carry more significant penalties. These punishments and deterrents tend to change from year to year. 284, 326; 1985, c. 93; 1989, c. 727; 1997, c. 431; 2008, c. 737. 46.2-810.1. ARTICLE 6. Va.Code Sec. Impeding Traffic Flow; Minimum Speed Limits; Slower Driving in a Passing Lane Many conditions such as visibility and weather can affect how you were driving at a speed necessary for the safe operation of your vehicle. IC 35-44.1-2-13 Obstruction of traffic Sec. Whenever the Commissioner of Highways or local authorities within their respective . Driving motor vehicle.while intoxicated (VA Code 18.2-266) ARTICLE 6. California Vehicle Code 22400 VC the minimum speed law prohibits drivers from slowing or stopping as to impede the normal flow of traffic. Minimum speed regulation. 17C-7-9. Coasting prohibited. 7. The amount of the fine and the number of points depend on how fast the vehicle was driving. . Only a lawyer can Vehicle Code - VEH. A Driving Too Slowly charge in Virginia basically punishes driving at such a low speed that the driver impedes the normal flow of traffic. Traffic infractions are penalized by fines and either three or four demerit points on your drivers license. 46.2-877. Regulation of truck traffic on primary and secondary highways. If any person without just cause knowingly obstructs a judge, magistrate, justice, juror, attorney for the Commonwealth, witness, any law-enforcement officer, or animal control officer employed pursuant to 3.2-6555 in the performance of his duties as such or fails or refuses without just cause to cease such obstruction when requested to do so by such judge, magistrate, justice, juror, attorney for the Commonwealth, witness, law-enforcement officer, or animal control officer employed pursuant to 3.2-6555, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Authorized workers "performing construction, maintenance, surveying, or utility work within a work zone may direct traffic within that work zone". (b) No person shall move a vehicle not lawfully under his or her control into any prohibited area or away from a curb such distance as is unlawful. Virginia law ( 46.2-921.1) states that "upon approaching a stationary vehicle that is displaying a flashing, blinking or alternating blue, red or amber light or lights," drivers shall: (1) It is unlawful for any person or persons willfully to obstruct the free, convenient, and normal use of any public street, highway, or road by impeding, hindering, stifling, retarding, or restraining . Penalty: Fine plus 3 demerit points, Drivers must yield to the driver on the right when entering an intersection. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use, Supplemental Terms, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. Motor vehicle. OBEDIENCE TO AND EFFECT OF TRAFFIC LAWS. Search for phrases with double quotes around the phrase like this: claims commission, Use a + symbol in front of a word to include it and use a in front of a word to exclude it from searches like this: +railroad -sign, If you type multiple words without quotes or +/- symbols, the search will look for all results containing any of the words. However, the Michigan Traffic Code has numerous exceptions: Police officers and firefighters can stand in the road to direct traffic. did it make to cite a driver for impeding traffic, when simultaneously the driver was obeying the posted speed limit? D. Any person who knowingly and willfully makes any materially false statement or representation to a law-enforcement officer or an animal control officer employed pursuant to 3.2-6555 who is in the course of conducting an investigation of a crime by another is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Traffic infractions in Virginia are punished with fines and DMV demerit points. Court opinions are provided by CourtListener, which is However, the statute prohibiting driving too slowly in Virginia does not apply to slow driving in dangerous road or weather conditions. Minimum speed limits. Virginia Code 18.2-140. traffic unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation, because of a grade, or in compliance with law. A report of the vehicles location shall be made to the nearest law-enforcement officer as soon as practicable, and the vehicle shall be moved from the roadway to the shoulder as soon as possible and removed from the shoulder without unnecessary delay. Drivers may prepay 46.2-816 for a fine of $30. up-to-date and accurate, no guarantee is made as to its accuracy. Subdivision 1. Damages recoverable for timber cutting. Traffic school can be used once annually to reduce overall point total, Two (2) suspensions based on points in two (2) years, Point accumulating offenses on driving record for five (5) years, Not required, but voluntary attendance will dismiss ticket and avoid being placed on driving record, 3 points, expect reasonable insurance rate increases, License revocation on case specific basis, Point accumulating offenses on driving record up to five (5) years, Yes, case specific, but one offense per eighteen months may be masked from public view if completing traffic school, License suspension reinstatement automatically requires adminstrative hearing, One (1) point offenses remain on record for three (3) years, two (2) point offenses remain on record for seven (7) years, Yes, case specific, but will not dimiss points from record, Hearing required to determine on case specific basis, 12 points accumulated equals mandatory suspension, Point accumulating offenses on driving record no less than seven (7) years, $75 or more, depending on location of offense, 2 points assessed, expect insurance premiums increase, May be required by clerk, dismissal of fines or points possible through clerk approved traffic school arrangement, Ten (10) points accrued result in suspension, revocation case specific pending hearing, Points remain on driver record for two (2) years, 2 points on record, expect negligible insurance rate increases, Yes, case specific and required, may be used to reduce overall point count, Accumulation of fourteen (14) points means mandatory suspension for four (4) months, Points offenses remain on record at least three (3) years and up to more than five (5) pending offense, Yes, may be required, and can be used as means of reducing point total, 10 points accumulated requires 90-day suspension, 12 point accumulation requires revocation needing official reinstatement, Points remain on driver's record for two (2) years, 3 points on record, expect insurance rate increases, Yes, and basic driver improvement courses are option for dimissing points, Twelve (12) points in one (1) year requires mandatory suspension, revocation is case specific and determined by hearing, Offenses resulting in points kept on driving record for seven (7) years, 3 points assessed, expect insurance premiums increase, Yes, and potentially used for one violation reduction every five (5) years, Accumulation of fifteen (15) points in two years results in suspension, Yes, may be mandated in event of serious offenses, Offenses may remain on traffic abstract for no more than ten (10) years, Yes, once every three (3) years, drivers may reduce point total by three points, Risk of suspension after 11 points in one (1) year or 17 points in two (2) years, Point accumulating offenses on driving record for three (3) years, 5 to 20 points, depending on location, expect rates to increase, Yes, required for some offenses, can be used as means of dismissing points in lieu of license suspension, Mandatory suspension for accumulation of 15 points, revocations begin at 110 points, Point accumulating offenses remain on record four (4) to five (5) years, Always in excess of $100, larger fines typically at officer discretion as well, Yes, driver safety program required in case specific situations and in lieu of point total nearing suspension levels, Suspension based on hearing if driver accrues more than 18 points in two (2) years, Point accumulating offenses remain on record for two (2) years, None, violation may increase insurance premium rates though, Yes, courts may require driver improvement program, Suspension required if three (3) or more violations assessed in one (1) year period, Point and other violations remain on record for at least five (5) years, Yes, may be required, and may be done every three (3) years to garner better insurance premiums, Conviction of three (3) moving violations in one (1) year risks license suspension, Violation convictions on record up to five (5) years, Yes, can elect to attend once per year if eligible to dismiss violation for given offense causing attendance, Suspension hearing required if accumualted more than twelve (12) points in two (2) year period, Points expire after two (2) years, but remain on driver record for five (5) years, Yes, may be required, and can be used to suspend conviction of violation, Specific violations result in suspension, including the vague wording of "excessive violations", number not noted, Less than ten (10) years convictions remain on driving record, 2 points assessed, expect small insurance premiums increase, Yes, may be mandated, can be used to dimiss three (3) demerit points per one (1) year period, License suspension for fifteen (15) days required for persons with more than 12 demerit points in 12 month period, Violations remain on driving record for three (3) years up to no more than ten (10) years, Juridictional discretion, not more than $500 by state law, 1 point assessed, 3 points assessed if cause of accident, License revoked for drivers with 12 points (19 if driver using vehicle for employment) in two (2) years, Violations expunged from driving record every three (3) year cycle, No surchargeable points assessed for first offense, 2 points for second, Yes, required if driver accumulates five (5) surchargeable events in three (3) years, License suspensions begin with three (3) speeding violations being recorded in a one (1) year period, All driving records remain in affect from "mid-eighties" to present, Jurisdictional, not more than $250 in almost all cases, Accrual of 12 points on two (1) year period subject driver to license suspension of not more than one (1) year, Points remain on driving record ever more than ten (10) years, affecting insurance rates for about three (3) years, None, violations may increase insurance premium rates though, Yes, courts may require driver imporvement course in lieu of or on top of existing offenses, Conviction of three (3) offenses in one (1) year results in license suspension, length determined via hearing, Not more than $100 first offense, not more than $200 second offense in one (1) year, Yes, potentially mandated, but can be used to dimiss offenses, Suspension or revocation at discretion of licensing agency, Offenses maintained on active record for more than four (4) years, Yes, either mandated or voluntarily undergone to reduce point total, Driver subject to suspension for accumulation of more than 8 points in eighteen (18) months, Moving violations maintained on record up to three (3) years, suspension on record for five (5) years, 2 points assessed, expect rates to increase, Yes, potentially mandated as sanction, but will not reduce or dismiss points, Accrual of 6 points in eighteen (18) months makes driver subject to sanctions, but accrual of 15 points in thirty-six (36) months mandates suspension, Points applied to record for three (3) years, but traffic violations remain in state database permanently, First offense not more than $100, second offense not more than $200, 1 point assessed, expect negligible rate increases, Yes, possibly mandated as sanction, but also, can be used to remove 2 points every five (5) years, Accumulation of 12 points in two (2) years immediately revokes license for six (6) months, Driver's record viewed as public record, and infractions remain visible indefinitely, Not more than $1,000 for any offense, generally significantly less, Yes, potentially required, but also, can be used once per one (1) year period to reduce points voluntarily, Accrual of 12 points in twelve (12) months results in six (6) month license suspension, Driver records maintained for three (3) years for private individuals, longer for commercial drivers, Yes, required in some instances and as possible means of reducing points, Accrual of 12 points in twelve (12) months results in three (3) month license suspension, Points remain on driving record for three (3) years using Jan.1 as effective start date of three year period, Yes, case pending may be required, otherwise can be used to remove 2 points from record, Accrual of 12 points in two (2) year period requires 30 day suspension of license, Driver history abstract available in complete form or within five (5) year period, Yes, may be mandated or voluntarily undergone for points reduction, Accumulation of 7 to 10 points in one (1) year may result in three (3) month suspension, pending hearing, At least 2 points, potentially more pending offense, Yes, potentially required in specific cases, and may be used to remove up to 4 points in some cases, Accumulation of 11 points in eighteen (18) month period results in one (1) month license suspension, Driving record points may be removed no later than four (4) years from offense, but potetnial to view last ten (10) years of record available, Yes, driver improvement clinics may be mandated, and can be used once every five (5) years for 3 point reduction, Accumulation of more than 12 points in three (3) years makes license subject to suspension, Driving record points counted against driver for up to three (3) years, and violations on record available for viewing up to seven (7) years, 2 point incurred, expect rates to increase, Yes, and driver may elect to undergo driver improvement course once annually to reduce by 2 points, Every point accumulated above 11 points requires seven (7) day license suspension, Violations older than three (3) years do not remain on driving record, 2 to 4 points incurred, expect rates to increase, Yes, remedial dirving instruction may be legally required to reinstate driving priviledges, Accumulation of more than 12 points in two (2) years makes drivers subject to six (6) month suspension, Violtaions older than three (3) years are not included in current driving record, Yes, potentially mandated, but also can be used to reduce 2 points, Accumulation of more than 10 points subjects driver to license suspension of one (1) month, Offenses in last three (3) years are recorded on driving records, Yes, if mandated, but not possible to reduce offense total, Conviction of four (4) offenses in eighteen (18) month period requires hearing with driver improvement interview, Offenses and convictions for traffic violations remain on record more than five (5) years, Yes, if mandated as sanction, but not means of reducing violation or dismissing points, Accumulation of more than 6 points requires examination, accumulation of 6 more points requires hearing of potential suspension, Violations remain on record for three (3) years, and for employment checks only, ten (10) year records can be obtained, Incurring three or more major violations in three year period results in one to five year suspension of license, Records of violations and offenses kept for three (3) years, 2 points assessed, insurance rates expected to slightly increase, Yes, potentially mandated and means of removing 4 points, Accumulation of 12 points in twelve months results in suspension, points older than one (1) year counted at half value, Driving records are available in three (3) and ten (10) year increments, 2 points assessed, expect negligible rate increases, Accumulating 15 more points in one (1) year, or 22 points in two (2) year period results in suspension of 60 days, Driving records of offenses and violations maintained indefintitely, points remain on record for three (3) years, Yes, may be mandated, and drivers may reduce points through course once every five (5) years, Accumulation of more than 12 points in one (1) year period results in license suspension, Driving records maintained for three (3) years, Yes, potentially required, and may be used to dismiss violation, Incurring four (4) or more violations in one (1) year runs risk of suspension, Driving record offenses and violations remain on record for no more than five (5) years, Yes, possibly court mandated, and if necessary, can be used once every three (3) years to remove 50 points, Accumulating more than 200 points on license, if over 21 years old, in three (3) year period results in mandatory suspension of three (3) months, Moving violations remain on driving record for three (3) years, Yes, possibly required as part of license reinstatement, Incuring 10 or more points in two (2) year period results in license suspension, Violations remain on record for no more than three (3) years, Yes, driver improvement clinic may be required, and possibly used to offset 5 demerit points, Accumulating more than 18 points in one (1) year, or more than 24 points in two (2) years results in license suspension, Moving violations remain on driving record for three (3) years and speeding violations remain on record for five (5) years in state, Yes, potentially required by court authority, Accruing four (4) offenses in one (1) year or five (5) offenses in two (2) years leaves potential for authority to suspend license as desired, Moving violations and accidents remain on driving record for five (5) years, Yes, drivers may be legally bound to attend, and attendance may reduce points as well, Accumulating more than 12 points results in license suspension for no more than one (1) year at discretion of authority, $40 to $300 for first offense, fine double for second offense, Yes, sometimes required, but voluntarily taken can reduce points by 3 every five (5) years, Incurring 12 or more points in one (1) year makes driver subject to suspension at discretion of authority, Violations, suspensions, and revocations remain on record for five (5) years from date of conviction, Conviction of four (4) violations in one (1) year period results in 90 day suspension, Violations remain on driver's record for no more than three (3) years.