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. Almost all of them carry the same penalty — the exception is racing that seriously injures or kills someone, which § 46.2-865.1 makes a felony.
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.
All guides
- 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 in VA: Speed Thresholds, 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 VA Code: Article 7, Section by Section
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.