If you are a truck driver who depends on your CDL to earn a living, a reckless driving conviction can have serious consequences.
CDL Disqualification
Virginia classifies the following as serious offenses for commercial motor vehicle drivers:
- Reckless driving
- Speeding 15 mph or more above the speed limit
- Tailgating
- Improper or erratic lane change
- Moving violations related to a fatal crash
- Texting while operating a commercial motor vehicle
- Driving a commercial motor vehicle without a valid CDL
- Driving a commercial motor vehicle without a CDL in your possession
- Driving a commercial motor vehicle without the proper CDL class and/or endorsements
Reckless driving, speeding, tailgating, improper lane change, and fatal crash violations count as serious offenses even if you weren't operating a commercial motor vehicle at the time of the incident.
If you are convicted of two serious violations in a three-year period, you will receive a 60-day disqualification of your CDL. If you are convicted of three or more serious violations in the same timeframe, you will receive a 120-day disqualification.
Suspension of Your Regular Driver's License
Any offense that results in the suspension of your regular driver's license, including reckless driving, will also leave you unable to legally operate a commercial motor vehicle. Although drivers are sometimes granted a restricted license to drive for work-related purposes, a restricted license does not apply to operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Company-Specific Policies
As you might imagine, insurance premiums for commercial motor vehicles can be quite expensive. Because of this, it's common for companies to have strict policies about who is allowed to drive the trucks in their fleet. This means a reckless driving conviction may result in your termination even if you were operating your personal vehicle at the time and don't have previous disqualifying offenses.
Retaining Legal Representation
If you've been charged with reckless driving, you'll want to retain legal representation as soon as possible. When you depend on your CDL to support yourself, a reckless driving charge must be taken seriously. Call today to schedule a free, no-obligation initial case review with Virginia attorney T. Kevin Wilson.
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