Whether we like to admit it or not, most of us have received a speeding ticket at some point in our lives. Sometimes we get them because we were knowingly reckless with our driving at the time, while at other times we may have taken our eyes off the speedometer or got distracted for some reason.
What happens if we get “caught” speeding but what we were doing was far from the allegation? Well, you may feel there’s no point in challenging any speeding tickets you get. In fact, you think it’s better to just pay any fines and get on with your life. However, more of us are starting to realize that there is sometimes a good reason for fighting a speeding ticket!
For instance, the police officer that issued the ticket may have unfairly targeted you. Or you know for a fact your speed was lower than what the police claim was recorded on their instruments. So, the short answer is yes, challenging a speeding ticket CAN work in your favor! Let’s run through the extended version of that answer and explain the reasons:
You were doing the speed limit
What happens if you know you were doing a speed below the posted limit, but the officer says otherwise? Believe it or not, police officers can unknowingly get things wrong! Although rare, it’s not impossible for a policeman to get confused about the speed limit on a particular stretch of road.
If you can prove the speed limit for the road you were pulled over, you will be able to have the ticket canceled.
The radar gun wasn’t calibrated
Talk to any firm such as Keller Law Offices, and they’ll tell you that radar guns don’t always offer reliable evidence. It’s up to the police force to ensure radar guns get calibrated on a regular basis.
If they can’t provide a certificate for the radar gun used in your case, or it’s out of date, you can have the case thrown out of court.
It’s also worth noting that some states will automatically dismiss such evidence because calibration may not be possible for individual radar gun models.
Image SourceThe speed limit signs aren’t up to code
Many people can get out of speeding tickets on a technicality! It’s worth checking the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices). In a nutshell, it will tell you whether the speed limit signs you passed on the road where you got pulled over are up to code or not.
Did you know that even the wrong type or size of font used on a speed limit sign can get used to challenge a speeding ticket?
The police officer’s report contradicts why you got pulled over
If you get pulled over for speeding, you can and should record the conversation with the police officer. Should their report contradict what was recorded, their credibility will go down like a lead balloon in court!
Thanks for reading today’s article; I hope it’ll help you get out of any future speeding tickets you might get!
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