banner
Contact Us
Case Evaluation
close

    Stamford Speeding Ticket Instruments

    In Stamford, law enforcement uses a variety of methods to determine an individual’s speed. Each instrument comes with its own challenges and complexities as to how they operate and how to best defend against their readings.

    If you are facing a traffic violation, it is imperative to consult with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. A knowledgeable traffic lawyer in Stamford can help you understand the various Stamford speeding ticket instruments and how to best combat any allegations against you because of them.

    RADAR

    RADAR stands for radio detection and ranging. It measures the distance between a vehicle and an oncoming vehicle. If someone is sitting in a vehicle using radar, they can measure the distance between someone else driving toward them.

    It uses that distance coupled with how quickly the person can get to the vehicle to determine how fast the driver is driving.

    In Stamford, radar detectors are usually located in police vehicles. An officer can wait somewhere and use the radar gun to judge oncoming traffic or people passing the vehicle.

    Specificity of the Reading

    Radar detectors can give the exact speed an individual is driving per hour. It is affected by factors like traffic, if it is locked onto the wrong vehicle, if it was pointed correctly, and if it held in the right position for however long needed to be accurate. It can also depend on the officer’s training.

    Weight of the Reading

    The reading from a radar detector carries a lot of weight, because not much evidence can be entered into a speeding ticket trial. Even though it is given that much weight, it can still be negated by the other factors like calibration, if it was used properly, and if the officer’s trained to use it properly. It also speaks to the weight of the reading.

    How the calibration can be proven depends on the specific calibration of the radar detector that needs to be proven. The officer will bring a certificate to court saying when it was last calibrated to prove that it is calibrated correctly.

    If the Stamford speeding ticket instrument was calibrated in 2007, for example, lawyers can discuss that with the prosecutor. It is generally proven by the certificate that the officer brings into court. If they do not have a record of it, it will not be able to be used in court.

    LIDAR

    LIDAR is another Stamford speeding ticket instrument that stands for light detection and ranging. It measures speed using a laser to measure how far away the car is. Once a car is close, the laser will reflect the difference. How the laser is being reflected back to the device is used to measure the speed.

    Lidar uses the angle that the laser has the vehicle at to determine the speed. The reading is just as specific as radar, is calibrated the same way, and is given the same weight in court.

    Speed Cameras

    Another type of speeding ticket instrument used in Stamford are license plate cameras. There are some license plate cameras on Chester Boulevard, Summer Street near Target, and Atlantic Street.

    The cameras work by sending out a frequency at an angle across the roadway, and when the car enters its field, the radar will reflect off the vehicle and the laser will change frequency because of the motion of the vehicle. Whatever frequency it turns into will determine the speed that the vehicle is traveling. These cameras are fairly accurate.

    What the Camera Captures

    Speed cameras capture the degree of the angle and the frequency. It captures the frequency increasing and decreasing by going underneath to determine the speed using the slant of the angle. When it hits the car, it determines the degree of the angle to determine the speed.

    It also takes a photograph of the license plate. The ticket is sent in the mail to whomever the vehicle is registered.

    Vehicles are constantly monitored by speed cameras, however, the camera captures behavior if the vehicle is traveling at a certain speed.

    Potential Penalties

    The potential penalties that can result from being caught by this type of Stamford speeding ticket instrument are the same that would result from a standard speeding ticket.

    It can get a little bit trickier if the driver is going through an intersection or somewhere that has specific rules, like a school zone, or if they are blocking a gridlock intersection. All of that comes into play.