What the Law Says
The sections of the Code of Virginia that define reckless driving: the general rule in § 46.2-852, the speed rule in § 46.2-862, and the acts in between.
5 guides
Virginia does not define reckless driving in a single sentence. Article 7 of Chapter 8 of Title 46.2 holds a general endangerment rule that applies whatever the speed limit, a speed rule that applies on the numbers alone, and roughly a dozen named acts in between — passing a stopped school bus, racing, faulty brakes, an obstructed view. Every one of them carries the same penalty.
The pages below work through what the Code actually says, section by section, and what the section number written on a summons means. Each statement of law links to the official text at law.lis.virginia.gov, which is the version to check before relying on anything written here.
- Reckless Driving in Virginia: What It Is and the Penalties
Reckless driving in Virginia is a Class 1 misdemeanor: up to 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine, 6 DMV points and a possible license suspension.
- Reckless Driving by Speed in Virginia: 20 Over and 85 mph
Reckless driving speed in Virginia: 20 mph or more over the limit, or over 85 mph anywhere, is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Thresholds zone by zone.
- Reckless Driving in the Virginia Code: §§ 46.2-852 to 46.2-869
Reckless driving VA Code: § 46.2-852 (general rule), § 46.2-862 (20 over or 85+ mph), § 46.2-868 (Class 1 misdemeanor) and the rest of Article 7.
- What Is Considered Reckless Driving in VA?
What is considered reckless driving in VA: the general endangerment rule, the 20-over and 85 mph speed triggers, and the acts Article 7 names by name.
- Virginia Reckless Driving Laws: What Changed and When
What changed in Virginia's reckless driving laws: the 85 mph threshold that replaced 80 in 2020, and the 2025 speed-limiter alternative to suspension.