Most state laws require drivers to obey the speed limit on interstate, state and local roads. Drivers who drive over the speed limit may be ticketed if the police have legally admissible evidence that the driver was speeding. For example, some police departments use a method of a determining a vehicle's speed known as speed traps. Speed traps have several different definitions including:
Some states have speed trap laws that make these types of speed determinations illegal bases for a speeding ticket. Yet, local police in states with speed trap laws continue to issue tickets based on the data obtained from speed traps.
If you have received a speeding ticket in violation of state speed trap laws then you need the assistance of an experienced attorney to help you defend your claim. Your lawyer will present specific evidence that describes why the police officer's evidence of your speeding violates your state speed trap laws. For example, depending on the laws in your state and the circumstances of your speeding ticket, your lawyer may argue that the police officer's human error was responsible for determining the speed at which you were traveling and that you were not, in fact, traveling at that speed. Or, your attorney may argue that you were not in violation of state speeding laws and that you were ticketed primarily for the purpose of raising municipal revenue.
Speeding tickets can have a profound effect on you. They can cause your motor vehicle insurance rates to rise significantly and they can lead to points being put on your driver's license. If you reach the maximum number of points allowed under your state law then you could lose your driver's license. For these reasons, and to hold police accountable for abiding by speed trap laws, it is important to work with experienced lawyers who can help you challenge your ticket on the basis of speed trap laws.