If you are like most people, you probably think that radar gun evidence represents irrefutable proof of your speeding guilt. After all, how can you dispute “science,” even when you are quite sure that you were not speeding at the time the officer and his or her radar gun insist that you were?
FindLaw strongly suggests that the next time this happens to you, you consider going to court with your attorney to challenge the radar gun evidence – IF you and (s)he carefully do your pretrial investigating.
Calibration
Many people fail to realize that virtually all radar device manufacturers issue precise instructions on how to calibrate their device and when the officer should do it. Most say that only special tuning-fork calibration can obtain accurate results. Did the officer who gave you the speeding ticket use the recommended tuning fork? Or did (s)he, like so many officers, simply tune the device with his or her fingers instead?
Furthermore, most manufacturers strongly recommend calibration prior to each usage of the device. When was the last time “your” officer calibrated his or her device?
Training
In addition to precise calibration instructions, most manufacturers recommend that officers go through a certified training program before they use their radar device for the first time. Did “your” officer receive this training?
Depending on what your attorney’s pretrial investigation discovers, (s)he may be able to raise the reasonable doubt required to get you acquitted. (S)he may even be able to get your speeding charge dismissed without your having to go to court at all.
