Reckless Driving in Virginia
101,152 cases across 125 jurisdictions · 2025
Charge statistics were restated in July 2026 — cases are now grouped by the Virginia Code section charged. What changed and why
Of 101,152 reckless driving cases filed in 2025 across 125 Virginia jurisdictions, 95,427 reached an outcome — an average dismissal rate of 18.5% and an average conviction rate of 80.4%. Statewide, 44.5% of Reckless Driving charges are reduced to a lesser offense. The average fine is $267.
Dismissal rate includes judicial dismissals and nolle prosequi (prosecutor-dropped cases). Conviction rate includes guilty pleas and findings of guilt at trial. Rates are averaged across 125 jurisdictions with available data. Data covers 2025 public court records. Last updated: July 8, 2026
Key takeaways
- Across 125 Virginia jurisdictions, Reckless Driving cases had an average dismissal rate of 18.5% and conviction rate of 80.4% in 2025 (101,152 cases).
- Dismissal rates ranged from 1.3% in Brunswick County to 63.1% in Richmond City among jurisdictions with reckless driving data.
- Statewide, 44.5% of Reckless Driving charges were reduced to a lesser offense.
Exhibit · Outcomes vary by court
Where Reckless Driving cases are dismissed or dropped, by jurisdiction
Across the 10 busiest courts63.1% in Richmond City to 1.3% in Brunswick County — same charge, different result by court.
Select Your Jurisdiction
Outcomes vary significantly by court. Type your county or city below to find it quickly.
Comparison by Court
| Jurisdiction | Cases | Dismissal Rate | Conviction Rate | Median Duration | Avg Fine | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax County | 7,442 | 9.2% | 90.3% | 2.5 months | $225 | 1.5 months |
| Henrico County | 4,371 | 36.2% | 62.2% | 3.4 months | $225 | 4.2 months |
| Virginia Beach | 4,349 | 11.1% | 88.4% | 3.0 months | $233 | 2.2 months |
| Richmond City | 4,197 | 63.1% | 36.1% | 2.5 months | $157 | 4.9 months |
| Prince William County | 3,596 | 25.6% | 73.6% | 3.0 months | $228 | 2.3 months |
| Northampton County | 3,361 | 13.7% | 86.1% | 2.2 months | $268 | 1.1 months |
| Brunswick County | 3,261 | 1.3% | 98.7% | 3.2 months | $349 | 1.3 months |
| Smyth County | 3,246 | 4.7% | 95.2% | 2.8 months | $478 | 3.5 months |
| Chesterfield County | 3,232 | 32.4% | 64.3% | 3.3 months | $224 | 4.0 months |
| Greensville County | 2,660 | 3.3% | 96.7% | 2.2 months | $274 | 1.1 months |
| Loudoun County | 2,223 | 7.2% | 92.3% | 2.3 months | $226 | 1.5 months |
| Dinwiddie County | 2,003 | 2.7% | 97.2% | 1.9 months | $279 | 3.8 months |
| Hanover County | 1,999 | 11.7% | 86.7% | 2.4 months | $439 | 29 days |
| Stafford County | 1,695 | 29.7% | 70.0% | 3.1 months | $263 | 3.6 months |
| Rockingham County | 1,691 | 9.6% | 89.5% | 2.4 months | $204 | 2.5 months |
| New Kent County | 1,674 | 4.9% | 94.7% | 2.4 months | $499 | 2.4 months |
| York County | 1,507 | 11.5% | 86.9% | 1.9 months | $210 | 2.3 months |
| Newport News | 1,482 | 32.4% | 64.8% | 2.6 months | $220 | 3.7 months |
| Chesapeake | 1,451 | 12.9% | 84.9% | 2.8 months | $201 | 1.4 months |
| Sussex County | 1,419 | 4.8% | 95.2% | 2.7 months | $348 | 2.2 months |
| Shenandoah County | 1,417 | 9.2% | 90.8% | 3.2 months | $241 | 2.9 months |
| Norfolk | 1,390 | 25.3% | 73.3% | 2.8 months | $199 | 2.5 months |
| Accomack County | 1,380 | 19.2% | 79.5% | 1.8 months | $242 | 26 days |
| Hampton | 1,376 | 29.0% | 64.7% | 2.7 months | $260 | 1.9 months |
| Mecklenburg County | 1,332 | 3.8% | 96.1% | 4.1 months | $215 | 8.8 months |
| Augusta County | 1,251 | 13.7% | 86.3% | 2.8 months | $397 | 4.4 months |
| Fauquier County | 1,171 | 29.7% | 69.5% | 3.1 months | $274 | 1.3 months |
| Roanoke City | 1,162 | 33.7% | 66.0% | 2.6 months | $163 | 2.4 months |
| Spotsylvania County | 1,074 | 23.5% | 75.8% | 2.4 months | $265 | 2.6 months |
| Frederick County | 1,044 | 12.9% | 87.0% | 2.7 months | $271 | 3.4 months |
| Portsmouth | 1,016 | 18.5% | 81.4% | 2.5 months | $206 | 3.5 months |
| Albemarle County | 1,015 | 18.5% | 79.0% | 2.9 months | $140 | 2.0 months |
| Caroline County | 1,000 | 36.1% | 63.3% | 3.3 months | $248 | 2.9 months |
| Hopewell | 989 | 5.6% | 94.3% | 2.4 months | $425 | 1.5 months |
| Botetourt County | 946 | 8.6% | 91.4% | 2.7 months | $515 | 2.4 months |
| Wythe County | 941 | 19.5% | 78.8% | 2.0 months | $414 | 3.3 months |
| Warren County | 902 | 5.7% | 93.9% | 2.5 months | $410 | 1.8 months |
| Rockbridge County | 851 | 10.1% | 89.0% | 2.7 months | $511 | 2.7 months |
| Carroll County | 848 | 9.1% | 89.7% | 2.3 months | $480 | 8.2 months |
| Suffolk | 796 | 37.7% | 57.9% | 3.5 months | $204 | 2.5 months |
| Arlington County | 691 | 14.1% | 84.7% | 2.2 months | $279 | 2.1 months |
| Alleghany County | 676 | 15.4% | 84.6% | 2.8 months | $299 | 2.3 months |
| Culpeper County | 658 | 35.2% | 63.4% | 2.5 months | $258 | 3.1 months |
| Williamsburg | 622 | 16.8% | 74.3% | 2.0 months | $177 | 5.5 months |
| King George County | 611 | 44.5% | 54.9% | 3.6 months | $248 | 3.5 months |
| Washington County | 610 | 24.3% | 75.3% | 2.7 months | $400 | 2.7 months |
| Bland County | 601 | 7.3% | 92.5% | 2.1 months | $491 | 4.1 months |
| Roanoke County | 595 | 30.8% | 67.9% | 3.8 months | $231 | 1.9 months |
| Amelia County | 592 | 26.8% | 72.8% | 3.1 months | $261 | 5.1 months |
| Montgomery County | 590 | 16.3% | 82.4% | 2.6 months | $397 | 1.5 months |
| Amherst County | 587 | 4.6% | 94.4% | 2.4 months | $190 | 2.1 months |
| Orange County | 559 | 10.6% | 86.0% | 2.0 months | $133 | 1.7 months |
| Goochland County | 525 | 4.3% | 94.0% | 2.3 months | $141 | 1.3 months |
| Petersburg | 525 | 32.6% | 65.5% | 2.8 months | $174 | 3.7 months |
| Emporia | 517 | 9.4% | 90.4% | 2.1 months | $234 | 2.9 months |
| Bristol | 509 | 15.4% | 84.0% | 3.4 months | $376 | 4.0 months |
| Prince George County | 500 | 16.5% | 82.9% | 3.5 months | $271 | 4.8 months |
| Pulaski County | 466 | 15.1% | 84.4% | 2.4 months | $381 | 4.7 months |
| Halifax County | 463 | 17.9% | 81.4% | 3.7 months | $174 | 5.9 months |
| Rappahannock County | 436 | 42.8% | 56.9% | 2.3 months | $291 | 1.6 months |
| Fredericksburg | 433 | 26.7% | 70.8% | 2.3 months | $225 | 3.4 months |
| Henry County | 394 | 15.9% | 82.8% | 1.9 months | $173 | 5.5 months |
| Colonial Heights | 371 | 37.5% | 59.8% | 3.5 months | $228 | 4.5 months |
| Clarke County | 357 | 14.6% | 85.4% | 2.4 months | $281 | 2.4 months |
| Louisa County | 340 | 14.7% | 83.2% | 2.6 months | $140 | 1.8 months |
| Gloucester County | 326 | 16.4% | 80.7% | 2.3 months | $404 | 1.8 months |
| Tazewell County | 309 | 25.8% | 67.0% | 2.7 months | $177 | 4.7 months |
| Lynchburg | 304 | 18.9% | 78.5% | 3.2 months | $194 | 1.9 months |
| Westmoreland County | 280 | 24.7% | 72.4% | 2.1 months | $160 | 4.4 months |
| King William County | 273 | 13.9% | 85.3% | 1.5 months | $137 | 3.5 months |
| Isle of Wight County | 271 | 29.3% | 69.8% | 3.8 months | $174 | 4.2 months |
| Southampton County | 267 | 18.8% | 79.5% | 5.1 months | $459 | 3.2 months |
| Alexandria | 261 | 16.1% | 83.9% | 4.8 months | $147 | 26 days |
| Bedford County | 259 | 13.8% | 83.5% | 3.3 months | $183 | 1.7 months |
| Campbell County | 258 | 17.9% | 81.2% | 2.9 months | $192 | 2.5 months |
| Franklin County | 253 | 13.4% | 86.6% | 2.5 months | $162 | 1.4 months |
| Essex County | 247 | 22.5% | 73.0% | 2.2 months | $191 | 2.5 months |
| Danville | 239 | 18.5% | 65.6% | 2.4 months | $94 | 2.7 months |
| Powhatan County | 237 | 28.7% | 70.0% | 3.3 months | $250 | 5.8 months |
| Scott County | 234 | 28.1% | 71.0% | 2.3 months | $180 | 1.6 months |
| Madison County | 226 | 33.6% | 65.0% | 2.5 months | $252 | 2.6 months |
| Nelson County | 216 | 5.5% | 85.5% | 2.5 months | $212 | 28 days |
| Lancaster County | 211 | 18.4% | 77.6% | 2.4 months | $159 | 6.1 months |
| King and Queen County | 206 | 12.3% | 86.3% | 1.4 months | $140 | 4.5 months |
| Russell County | 191 | 31.2% | 63.6% | 2.8 months | $193 | 4.8 months |
| Charlotte County | 185 | 6.2% | 93.2% | 4.5 months | $232 | 4.1 months |
| Salem | 183 | 47.9% | 52.1% | 4.5 months | $158 | 2.4 months |
| Prince Edward County | 182 | 10.5% | 80.1% | 3.1 months | $155 | 2.0 months |
| Page County | 180 | 19.7% | 80.3% | 2.0 months | $163 | 2.7 months |
| Wise County | 177 | 42.7% | 56.7% | 3.0 months | $285 | 6.1 months |
| Nottoway County | 176 | 22.1% | 77.9% | 3.3 months | $223 | 6.0 months |
| Pittsylvania County | 161 | 9.0% | 89.6% | 2.1 months | $192 | 1.0 months |
| Fluvanna County | 148 | 28.7% | 69.9% | 3.2 months | $229 | 2.4 months |
| Greene County | 148 | 12.6% | 85.2% | 2.6 months | $131 | 2.5 months |
| Lee County | 138 | 18.3% | 80.2% | 2.0 months | $106 | 10 days |
| Appomattox County | 132 | 14.4% | 85.6% | 3.1 months | $168 | 1.0 months |
| Winchester | 130 | 21.9% | 76.3% | 2.1 months | $160 | 5.3 months |
| Fairfax City | 128 | 7.1% | 92.1% | 2.3 months | $174 | 1.7 months |
| Staunton | 127 | 35.4% | 62.8% | 3.7 months | $131 | 4.1 months |
| Giles County | 126 | 26.1% | 69.7% | 2.8 months | $211 | 1.0 years |
| Cumberland County | 124 | 4.3% | 93.0% | 4.3 months | $162 | 1.0 months |
| Buckingham County | 118 | 7.0% | 92.0% | 4.8 months | $147 | 1.0 years |
| Middlesex County | 118 | 4.3% | 92.3% | 2.0 months | $322 | 18 days |
| Charlottesville | 113 | 31.2% | 65.2% | 1.9 months | $136 | 4.5 months |
| Martinsville | 110 | 20.2% | 79.8% | 2.5 months | $182 | 1.0 years |
| Bath County | 101 | 15.6% | 84.4% | 6.2 months | $300 | 3.0 months |
| Patrick County | 94 | 30.4% | 69.6% | 2.8 months | $291 | 5.3 months |
| Lunenburg County | 91 | 8.0% | 90.9% | 3.9 months | $141 | — |
| Richmond County | 87 | 25.0% | 67.6% | 2.1 months | $217 | 4.4 months |
| Waynesboro | 86 | 38.8% | 61.2% | 3.1 months | $318 | 1.7 months |
| Surry County | 74 | 34.8% | 63.8% | 3.1 months | $186 | — |
| Grayson County | 71 | 44.8% | 52.2% | 2.4 months | $209 | 6.8 months |
| Floyd County | 69 | 17.7% | 79.0% | 2.3 months | $296 | — |
| Galax | 69 | 36.5% | 63.5% | 1.8 months | $216 | 10.1 months |
| Northumberland County | 60 | 40.7% | 52.5% | 2.3 months | $176 | 2.4 months |
| Buchanan County | 57 | 25.0% | 69.2% | 2.6 months | $132 | 6.0 months |
| Craig County | 47 | 43.2% | 56.8% | 3.9 months | $390 | 10 days |
| Franklin City | 45 | 42.5% | 52.5% | 3.0 months | $183 | 6.2 months |
| Buena Vista | 43 | 24.2% | 75.8% | 3.5 months | $249 | 3.1 months |
| Radford | 43 | 24.3% | 73.0% | 2.8 months | $318 | 3.5 months |
| Mathews County | 42 | 5.0% | 90.0% | 2.1 months | $356 | 7.7 months |
| Charles City County | 37 | 37.1% | 57.1% | 1.2 months | $159 | 4.6 months |
| Highland County | 30 | 24.1% | 75.9% | 2.8 months | $304 | 7.6 months |
| Falls Church | 24 | 8.7% | 91.3% | 1.7 months | $223 | 3.0 months |
| Dickenson County | 22 | 35.0% | 60.0% | 3.6 months | $148 | 3.0 months |
Source: Virginia public court records, 2025 — VirginiaCourtFile.com
Reckless Driving by Highway Corridor
Outcomes for every Virginia county along I-81, I-95, I-66, and I-64 — the corridors where most out-of-state reckless driving charges are filed.
Virginia reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor, not a traffic ticket. Most people who are charged are travelers stopped by state troopers on an interstate — and the jurisdiction where the ticket was issued matters more than almost anything else. Dismissal and reduction rates vary dramatically between counties on the same highway.
Sortable tables for every county along I-81, I-95, I-66, and I-64. Based on 101,152 reckless driving cases.
Compare Reckless Driving to Related Charges
See how Reckless Driving outcomes compare side-by-side with related charges across Virginia.
Related Virginia Statutes
Virginia Code sections associated with Reckless Driving charges.
Case Dismissed?
If your Reckless Driving case was dismissed or dropped, you may be eligible to have it sealed from your record.
Data source: Virginia public court records, 2025. 101,152 cases analyzed across 125 jurisdictions. Last updated July 8, 2026. — VirginiaCourtFile.com
Common Questions
Statistics from public court records for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. Past outcomes do not predict future results.
What's Next
Reckless Driving dismissal rates range from 1% to 63% across Virginia. Your court matters. An attorney who handles Reckless Driving cases in your court can review your case — free.
Want data specific to your court and situation? Check your case