They’re a common sight on roads in the United States – police officers aiming radar guns at oncoming vehicles. The radar gun is a good way to find drivers who are going faster than the posted speed limit, but like all other instruments, they aren’t infallible. If you have received a speeding ticket Fayetteville NC based on radar gun data, it is possible for your Traffic Attorney in Culpeper to challenge the evidence in court.
How a Radar Gun Operates
A police officer’s radar gun receives and sends radio signals, which are bounced off of oncoming cars and returned to the same spot. Using the Doppler Effect, a radar gun can determine the vehicle’s speed based on the way the signal changes as it returns. Some agencies use LIDAR (light detection and ranging) devices, which work much like radar guns except that lasers are used. Regardless of the technology used, such devices are sensitive and require regular adjustment and calibration. For instance, radar guns must be tested for accuracy with a tuning fork. Device manufacturers advise per-use calibration, but states usually require less frequent adjustment.
Maintenance Records
The easiest way for your lawyer to challenge a radar gun reading is to use the device’s calibration records as evidence. If the device hasn’t been adjusted as required, or if the calibration was incorrect, your Traffic Attorney in Culpeper may be able to get your speeding ticket in Fayetteville NC dismissed. Some police officers believe that radar guns can be calibrated without tuning forks, and you should ask whether the fork is used during adjustment. If the answer to that question is “no”, your Traffic Attorney in Culpeper may be able to argue that your ticket is based upon false evidence.
LIDAR and Radar Training
If a state’s officers use LIDAR or radar devices, they must go through training before use. If you receive a speeding ticket in Fayetteville NC, your Traffic Attorney in Culpeper will check to see if the issuing officer received the correct training. If the officer was improperly trained, you can argue that the ticket was issued due to operator error.
None of the arguments given above can get your ticket automatically dismissed. If you are sure that you were obeying the speed limit, however, you do not have to pay the penalty solely because a radar gun showed that you were speeding. Radar guns aren’t perfect, and if not properly used and maintained, they can provide erroneous readings.
For more information visit Beaver Courie Attorneys at Law.
