At one time, the police had to rely on their visual observations to detect speeding motorists. What they witness still plays a role in speed enforcement. However, today, police have a technological advantage.
Below, we will discuss some high- and low-tech speed detection methods Florida law enforcement may use to catch speeders.
Vehicle pacing
Pacing involves the officer following suspected violators for a short while to match their speed and determine if they are going too fast. Prone to human error and environmental factors, low-tech pacing is not as reliable as other methods.
With skilled counsel, you may be able to question the officer’s findings, perhaps having them dismissed.
Radar technology
No newcomer to enforcement, the radar detector has resulted in an uncountable number of speeding tickets since the 1950s. Its technology bounces radio waves off objects, like a moving vehicle, to measure speed, much like a bat using echolocation.
Many consider radar gun evidence irrefutable, but it is vulnerable to error and may be disputed successfully in many circumstances.
LIDAR (laser devices)
LIDAR, which stands for Light Detection and Ranging, is a technology used in some speed detection devices. Unlike radar, which uses radio waves, LIDAR employs a narrow beam of laser light to measure the speed of a moving vehicle.
Since laser devices can be affected by weather and obstructions, they are just as vulnerable to error as other detection measures.
Other methods
Sometimes, law enforcement personnel detect speeding motorists via police department aircraft. Many officers use the VASCAR method. The latter measures the time a vehicle takes to pass between road markers, allowing the police to calculate excess speeds.
Of course, these two detection techniques are also open to a successful challenge when handled with experienced legal guidance.
