We Practice In Speed Contest Violations

Speed contest / NRS 484B.653

Nevada has strict laws including spectator ordinances against street racing, and those found guilty of participating in a speed contest face penalties that can be severe. Speed contests, or also known as Street Races are illegal, meaning that any competition or race that results in a driver exceeding posted speed limits can result in fines, jail time, the loss of driving privileges and possibly the impound of your vehicle.

If you are charged with participating in a speed contest in Nevada,  the attorneys at Reckless Driving Defense can guide you through the complicated process of dealing with court appearances and hearings, negotiating with prosecutors, and crafting a defense strategy that will give you the best chance of minimizing fines and penalties. As your attorney we can also advise you on how to proceed if you have a history of driving offenses or if you are facing related criminal charges. it is important to contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible.

Definition

Nevada law NRS 484B.650 prohibits people from engaging in a speed contest, or from driving at high speeds likely to endanger other people or property. The state can charge drivers with a gross misdemeanor for their participation in a speed contest.

(a) Drive a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard of the safety of persons or property on a highway or premises to which the public has access.
(b) Drive a vehicle in an unauthorized speed contest on a highway or premises to which the public has access.
(c) Organize an unauthorized speed contest on a highway or premises to which the public has access.

Penalties

In our experience a speed contest violation typically results in fines that increase incrementally with each offense. In more serious cases, repeat offenses and because reckless driving is a misdemeanor charge it can however result in up to 6 months in jail. Speed Contest, like Reckless driving can also result in the loss of license based on a drivers demerit points and often increases in insurance premiums. Effective Jan 1 2023 penalties for Speed Contest in the state of Nevada include;

4.  A person who violates paragraph (b) or (c) of subsection 1 or commits a violation which constitutes reckless driving pursuant to subsection 2 is guilty of a misdemeanor and:
(a) For the first offense:
(1) Shall be punished by a fine of not less than $250 but not more than $1,000;
(2) Shall perform not less than 50 hours, but not more than 99 hours, of community service; and
(3) May be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 6 months.
(b) For the second offense:
(1) Shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,000 but not more than $1,500;
(2) Shall perform not less than 100 hours, but not more than 199 hours, of community service; and
(3) May be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 6 months.
(c) For the third and each subsequent offense:
(1) Shall be punished by a fine of not less than $1,500 but not more than $2,000;
(2) Shall perform 200 hours of community service; and
(3) May be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 6 months.

Legal Strategy

Reckless Driving Defense will evaluate the circumstances of the violation and determine the validity of the charges. In cases where we find that the violations are invalid or that there were mitigating circumstances apply (unintentional actions, medical, mistaken identity, etc) charges may be dropped or reduced. It is our goal to and often the outcome to minimize fines and penalties for clients by carefully evaluating the circumstances and making sure that the law has been applied fairly.

Misdemeanor convictions including Speed Contest can be sealed in typically 1 year to protect a clients criminal record.

Further information on a Speed Contest violation in the state of Nevada can be found at the Nevada Legislature website at the below link; https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-484b.html#NRS484BSec650