Being accused of speeding could render several consequences that could have a negative impact on your livelihood. Not only could your driving privileges be suspended, but you may also be required to pay expensive fines.
Fortunately, the law allows for those accused of committing a criminal offense to properly defend themselves in Court. In cases involving speeding, you may be wondering about how to defend yourself from the readings of a Ft Lauderdale speed detection device. For legal help, be sure to reach out to one of our trusted Attorneys at Leifert & Leifert today.
Strategies Used by Officers to Detect Someone’s Speed
There are many ways in which Law Enforcement officers could tell if someone was speeding. Some officers may try to visually estimate the speed of a person’s vehicle. However, a visual estimation of a person’s speed is not enough to bring forth an allegation of speeding. Most Courts require that officers make a visual determination as a secondary way to detect speed.
Validity of Radar Readings in Ft Lauderdale Court
An example of convincing evidence that would prove a person was speeding is a radar reading. Since pace clocking is not as scientific as a radar, radar readings would bode well in Court in comparison to pace clocking. However, lasers hold much more weight in Court than a radar. A laser is more pinpointed and has lass error than a radar.
Defenses Against Gun Radar Readings
A person could adopt many defenses against radar gun readings in Court. A defendant could point out the improper or lack of recent calibration. Officers are required to provide proof that the radar has been calibrated. If it is discovered that the device was not calibrated at the time it was used. In addition, if there are two vehicles in the same general area, it may be difficult to figure out which vehicle is being read. There may be other issues as to whether a radar was being used from a fixed, stationary, or rolling position.
Operator Error
Operator error is common in the use of radar guns. It is worth investigating the angle at which the gun was being aimed, whether it locked on the wrong object, or there were too many obstructions. Although the Court places a lot of faith into these devices, errors occur more frequently then Courts may believe.
What is LIDAR and are there any Issues?
LIDAR refers to the use of laser light to detect vehicle speeds. It measures the distance from the device to the target not only once, but several times. Unlike radar, light travels faster than other radars, making it much more accurate and focused.
Although LIDAR is much more accurate than pinpointed sound waves, some may challenge the tracking distance of a LIDAR and question whether it could be accurate in cases where someone was caught from far away. The longer the distance is, the more compromised the laser could be. In addition, there may also be issues with respect to calibration and maintenance as well. However, challenging the LIDAR in this regard could prove to be less successful in comparison to other devices such as a radar gun.
Speak with a Legal Professional
If you have been accused of speeding, you should learn more about how to challenge such an accusation. In most cases, officers use speed calibration devices to track a person’s speed. With the help of one of our Attorneys at Leifert & Leifert, you may be able to question the validity of such devices and prepare a convincing defense focusing on this aspect. For more information, or if you wish to get started on a case, be sure to schedule a consultation today.