West Virginia § 17C-5-3 Reckless driving; penalties

West Virginia Statutes

§ 17C-5-3 — Reckless driving; penalties

West Virginia § 17C-5-3

Ch. 17CTRAFFIC REGULATIONS AND LAWS OF THE ROAD

Art. 5SERIOUS TRAFFIC OFFENSES

This text of West Virginia § 17C-5-3 (Reckless driving; penalties) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 17C-5-3 (2026).

Text

(a)Any person who drives any vehicle upon any street or highway, or upon any residential street, or in any parking area, or upon the ways of any institution of higher education, whether public or private, or upon the ways of any state institution, or upon the property of any county boards of education, or upon any property within the state park and public recreation system established by the Director of the Division of Natural Resources pursuant to §20-4-3 of this code in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving.

(b)The provisions of subsection (a) of this section does not apply to those areas which have been temporarily closed for racing sport events or which may be set aside by the Director of the Division of Natural Resources wit

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(a) Any person who drives any vehicle upon any street or highway, or upon any residential street, or in any parking area, or upon the ways of any institution of higher education, whether public or private, or upon the ways of any state institution, or upon the property of any county boards of education, or upon any property within the state park and public recreation system established by the Director of the Division of Natural Resources pursuant to §20-4-3 of this code in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section does not apply to those areas which have been temporarily closed for racing sport events or which may be set aside by the Director of the Division of Natural Resources within the state park and recreation system for exclusive use by motorcycles or other recreational vehicles.

(c) Every person convicted of reckless driving is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon a first conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail for a period of not less than five days nor more than 90 days, or fined not less than $25 nor more than $500, or both fined and confined, and upon conviction of a second or subsequent conviction thereof, shall be confined in jail not less than 10 days nor more than six months, or fined not less than $50 nor more than $1,000, or both fined and confined.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, any person convicted of a violation of subsection (a) of this section who in doing so proximately causes another to suffer serious bodily injury shall, upon conviction, be confined in jail not less than 30 days nor more than one year or fined not less than $50 nor more than $1,000, or both fined and confined.

(e) For purposes of subsection (d) of this section, "serious bodily injury" means bodily injury which creates a substantial risk of death, which causes serious or prolonged disfigurement, prolonged impairment of health or prolonged loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.

Legislative History

2025 Reg. Sess., HB2871; 2024 Reg. Sess., SB163; 2023 Reg. Sess., SB660; 2019 Reg. Sess., HB3134; 2006 Reg. Sess., SB473; 1979 Reg. Sess., HB721; 1951 Reg. Sess., HB189