Police Radar Detectors in Richmond
A police radar detector is a tool that’s used by individuals to determine if a radar device is active in their area. The detector will give an alert if there’s an operational radar device in the vicinity. If you have a case involving a radar detector in Richmond, contact a Richmond speeding ticket lawyer to help you understand the situation.
Legality of Radar Detectors in Richmond
In Richmond, it is not illegal to have a radar detector in your vehicle as long as it is not operational. If it is operational, it is illegal to have it. A radar jammer is another device that’s used to thwart radars used by law enforcement. These either deflect the radar beam or interfere with it so that officers cannot get a firm readout from their radar devices. These are also illegal in the City of Richmond.
Out-of-State Drivers with Radar Detectors
If you’re driving from a state where using a radar detector is legal, you should unplug it from the power source so it’s not operational. In addition, you must not have access to it. According to Virginia law, if the detector is sitting next to you in the passenger seat, that means you still have access to it and can make it operational. The key is to place it in the glove box or the trunk of your vehicle where you don’t have access or control over it. Experienced speeding ticket attorneys in Richmond have seen a lot of radar detector cases and can help explain the law.
Penalties for Using a Radar Detector
The penalty for using a radar detector in Richmond is usually only a fine. The officer will typically not take a radar device unless he or she can show that it was being used in accordance with a speeding ticket. For the most part, the only consequence is a fine.
The main thing to know about radar detectors in the City of Richmond is that using them is illegal. If you are operating a vehicle, your radar detector may not be operational, it may not be plugged in and you may not have access to it. Even if it’s plugged in but not switched on, or if it’s not plugged in but it’s in the passenger seat next to you, you are still in violation of the law.
Mistakes to Avoid with Radar Detectors
The biggest mistake with radar detectors in Richmond is to use one. There is really no reason for using a radar detector in Richmond whether you thought it was legal or not. Claiming that you didn’t know it was illegal is not a defense. The key with the radar detector is to have it away from a power source and to have it secured either in a glove box or the trunk where you do not have access to it.
If an officer takes your radar detector, which is rare in the City of Richmond, an attorney can help you retain it or get it back after your case is finalized. A Richmond speeding ticket attorney can also help get the case reduced or dismissed if it can be shown that the detector was not connected to a power source and you did not have access to it.
