An excellent Op-Ed from an informed and responsible media company:
“…[The Virginia] General Assembly is considering bills that would relax the threshold for reckless driving from 80 to 85 mph on… high-speed interstate highways.
“Not so fast: Speed is one of the highest risk factors in crashes. Whether you’re traveling 79, 81, 84 or 86 mph , you’re putting fellow drivers in danger. Loosening reckless driving standards detracts from safer practices on our roads and makes us wonder: Are we considering the bigger picture? …
“What if reckless driving was enforced through the catch-all section of the code? …
“§ 46.2-852: Reckless driving; general rule. ‘Irrespective of the maximum speeds permitted by law, any person who drives a vehicle on any highway recklessly or at a speed or in a manner so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of any person shall be guilty of reckless driving.’
“According to the Virginia Highway Safety Office, 25,892 traffic crashes were speed-related in 2018, resulting in 13,346 injuries and 339 deaths. Those numbers should go down, not up…”
Richmond Times-Dispatch [End of excerpt.]
What you have read above is only the bare bones of this excellent article, and we recommend that whether your interest is specifically on Virginia or on the broader impact of speed and reckless driving, you should read it in full.