Virginia enforces new laws on seat belts and reckless driving

Backseat passengers in Virginia must now wear seat belts under a new state law. Additionally, harsher penalties are being imposed on street takeovers, street racing, and excessive speeding. These measures are part of three bills that came into effect on July 1, aiming to reduce driving crashes and fatalities in the commonwealth.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles reported 126,244 total crashes in 2024, resulting in 918 fatalities. More than half of these fatalities involved unbelted passengers. Speed was a factor in 25,705 vehicle accidents during the same year.

The number of crashes has been increasing since 2020 when there were 105,600 crashes recorded. "Too many lives are lost on our roads due to poor decisions," said Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III. "This is a common-sense law that will have a life-saving impact."

House Bill 2475 mandates all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. Previously, only front-seat occupants were required to do so. The penalty for non-compliance is a $25 fine without points added to licenses.

Virginia ranks last in the nation for seat belt use at 7.3% compliance, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The national average stands at 92%.

House Bill 2036 broadens the definition of reckless driving to include street racing and illegal street takeovers. This law targets those who deliberately slow or stop traffic for racing purposes, with penalties including a Class 1 misdemeanor and possible license suspension or revocation.

House Bill 2096 permits courts to mandate intelligent speed assistance systems for those convicted of speeding over 100 mph or repeat offenders. These systems use GPS to monitor local speed limits and control vehicle speed accordingly.

Accidents and speeding violations have impacted Virginia's insurance market significantly. A recent Insurify study shows average car insurance rates rose by 33% in 2024 across the state.

On average, Virginia drivers pay $185 per month for full coverage and $104 for liability-only insurance as per Insurify’s data. A speeding ticket increases full-coverage rates to $237 per month while an accident raises it to $221 per month.

"Any accident or claim will almost certainly raise your rates, regardless of fault," said Samuel Goddard, an Insurify insurance agent. "And this also affects rates for other drivers in the state."