Car Insurance

Speed traps are places commonly known to people where law enforcement writes more traffic tickets on average than other places. These are something all fifty states have in common.

The most common areas for these hidden speed traps would be streets where the posted speed limit is not easily seen, or areas of fluctuating speed limits. It’s very easy to catch unsuspecting drivers ‘breaking the law’ in these particular areas.

Speed traps are also found in small towns and cities, usually near a major highway where travelers are unlikely to return to challenge a speeding ticket. Another way that police manipulate the roads to catch unsuspecting drivers in speed traps are on long stretches of highway. They’ll take two distinct markers on the road and measure the distance between them.

What happens in this case is that they will use a mathematical formula to determine your speed by using the time it took you to pass between the preset points. Its pretty simple for them to do this. So if they determine you were speeding, usually another police officer down the road will be alerted to the make and model of your car, what your speed was, and they will pull you over.

The legality of the whole thing has been debated for years. Politicians and police officers alike have always supported controversial means to ticket drivers by preaching to us that it ‘saves lives’. We all know the real reason is to greatly increase revenue.

The truth is, using deceptive means such as speed traps is unethical. Not to mention illegal. But law enforcement gets away with it all the time. Deceptive practices of writing traffic violations is quite literally worth billions of dollars yearly in America.

Protect yourself from speed traps the next time you’re in your car. If you are planning a long (or even short) road trip soon, it’s advised that you know what you may be going up against.

Learn more about speed traps. Stop by Steven Swihart’s site where you can find out a lot more information and advice on traffic violations of any kind, and how to beat them in traffic court.