Is Challenging A Radar Gun's Accuracy Possible?
Posted on: 13 June 2017
A radar gun is supposed to give law enforcement officials an accurate measurement of a driver's speed. Some people mistakenly believe that a ticket based on the speed recorded by the radar gun cannot be challenged. In reality, it is one of the easier challenges you could make for a speeding ticket. If you received a speeding ticket based on a radar gun's measurements, here is what you need to know.
Are Radar Guns Accurate?
Radar guns work by relying on radio signals to determine how fast a car is moving. The guns are highly sensitive and require frequent calibration to obtain accurate results. There are different factors that can influence the accuracy of the results an officer receives.
For instance, whether or not the radar gun has been properly tuned before use can impact the results. Other moving objects, such as another car, can also lead to an inaccurate measurement.
Another factor that could influence the results is the distance the gun was from your car at the time the officer calculated your speed. Even the road's curviness can lead to a distorted result.
If you believe that any of these factors played a role in a radar gun determining you were speeding, you can choose to challenge the ticket.
How Do You Challenge the Ticket?
Regardless of what other factors were present when your car was clocked by the radar gun, always start your challenge with the calibration. Although the radar gun must be calibrated before each use, it is not. Officers are typically required to keep a record of how often they calibrate their radar guns. You can ask for a copy of the record to determine if the officer had done so before using it to measure your car's rate of speed.
In addition to this, you can challenge how well the officer is trained on using the radar gun. If the officer is unable to prove that he or she knows how to accurately use the radar gun, you might be able to convince a judge that the results could be wrong. If the radar gun results are tossed by the judge, your case will likely be tossed, too.
A traffic violation attorney can help with determining other ways to challenge the speeding ticket you received. If you are unsure whether or not challenging the ticket is the right move, schedule a consultation to discuss your options.
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