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Special Legislative Session for Va. Driver Fees?

ALTHOUGH VIRGINIA'S TOP REPUBLICAN lawmakers have said this week that they want to rework the commonwealth's unpopular administrative fees for driving violations in January when the Senate and House of Delegates reconvene, AAA wants action sooner, The Post's Tim Craig reports.

The nation's largest motorists advocacy organization says that in order to regain the trust of the driving public, lawmakers in the commonwealth need to address the uproar with a prompt legislative remedy.

Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, contends that January is the appropriate time to tackle any changes to the fees. All 140 seats in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates are up for election in November, which will, for sure, continue to add heat to the driving-fee flames.

» "Prompt Change Urged in Va. Fees" [WaPo]

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COMMENTS (5)

  • AAA was behind passage of the fees. AAA stood with VA legislators and defended the entire package in June:

    "The new tougher traffic penalties -- that impose, in some cases a $1050 civil fee on reckless drivers going 20 mph over the speed limit... which only apply to licensed drivers in Virginia, are designed to save lives and discourage lawlessness and recklessness on highways in the state," said AAA Mid-Atlantic's government affairs chief Lon Anderson.

    By Richard , Posted August 24, 2007 10:59 AM

  • Yes, but the AAA has changed its tune: As The Post writes today: The AAA "initially supported the fees, a stance it reiterated as recently as last month."

    By mgrass , Posted August 24, 2007 11:25 AM

  • Maybe AAA did not know that the speed limit in Virginia is only 55-65 mph on their interstates? Whereas other states have speed limits around 75-80 mph. so 20 mph over in Virginia is still less than the normal speed limit of other states. Also, so much negative press and hatred by people have surrounded this issue that AAA might not want to be associated with it anymore.

    By tom , Posted August 24, 2007 11:53 AM

  • Look at AAA's weasel words. It is not saying: sorry we worked behind the scenes to get the Virginia legislature to impose these fees (as an insurance company, AAA makes its profit from license points). Instead, it says, "I think the motorists of Virginia have said they are outraged." Which more or less is a statement of fact.

    AAA should be held accountable for what it did and not get a pass for saying, "Gosh, sorry if you were offended."

    By Richard , Posted August 24, 2007 12:30 PM

  • To correct Richard's assertion that AAA support is based on it being an insurer, insurance rates go up based on traffic offense convictions, not points. The Virginia abuser fees don't increase point accumulation by motorists. If anything, Virginia is probably seeing police writing tickets that are a bit less severe (shave off a couple miles per hour on a speeding ticket to avoid having it contested) under the new system than they were two months ago.

    By Frank , Posted August 30, 2007 12:10 AM
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