If there is one thing that all 50 states have in common, it’s speed traps. It’s a location where police have a reputation for writing an unusually high number of speeding tickets.
The most common areas for these hidden speed traps would be streets where the posted speed limit is not easily seen, or areas of fluctuating speed limits. It’s very easy to catch unsuspecting drivers ‘breaking the law’ in these particular areas.
Small municipalities like to set up speed traps near an interstate or major highway, where they know it is unlikely that a ticketed driver will return to fight it in court. Law enforcement realize that many drivers will use radar detectors in their attempt to evade a speeding ticket. They will render this method useless by setting up a speed trap where they will time you between two preset points with a stopwatch.
What happens in this case is that they will use a mathematical formula to determine your speed by using the time it took you to pass between the preset points. Its pretty simple for them to do this. So if they determine you were speeding, usually another police officer down the road will be alerted to the make and model of your car, what your speed was, and they will pull you over.
Whether this is legal or not has been debated for many years. Increasing the numbers of drivers ticketed has always been supported by law enforcement and politicians alike. Their argument has always been that it is done in the name of safety. Even though everyone knows its to increase revenue.
The bottom line is that these deceptive methods of giving out tickets is unethical and illegal. Using speed traps is literally a billion dollar industry in America.
Protect yourself from speed traps the next time you’re in your car. If you are planning a long (or even short) road trip soon, it’s advised that you know what you may be going up against.
Learn more about speed traps. Stop by Steven Swihart’s site where you can find out a lot more information and advice on traffic violations of any kind, and how to beat them in traffic court.