We all know they’re out there, waiting to catch speeders as they go by. Whether they are in plain view or hidden, speed traps exist all over the place. You’re probably familiar with the ones in your local area, but what if you’re on an out of state trip? I think we all know drivers with out of state plates are often targeted for speeding tickets, because they are more likely to pay than come back and fight their ticket in court. I know it’s true in Ohio!
This Web site is devoted to helping you avoid speed traps during your travels. You can also help out by reporting the speed traps you know about. The site’s navigation is pretty simple. You can get started by using the side menu to browse the following sections:
Add a Speed Trap – Here is where you can add a speed trap to the site’s listings. Notice that it may take several days for your submission to be reviewed and please make sure to follow the six guidelines posted when you fill out the form.
Speed Trap Listings – Here you will find speed traps in alphabetical order by location. The locations are: the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. These are speed traps that have been reported by local residents of those places. I, of course, went to Ohio and checked out the speed traps not only for Toledo, but for Lorain. The ones for Lorain (which is my hometown) I already knew about, but there were some listed for Toledo that I wouldn’t have thought of and I am very grateful to know about them now!
Fight a Speeding Ticket – This will take you to a page where you can go through 10 steps on how to fight a traffic ticket. There is an FAQ section here that is also a good read, along with a great tip section on how to avoid getting ticketed. The tip section on avoiding tickets has some great advice I think all drivers should know. For example, check your lights, keep your car clean, don’t stand out and many more.
Speed Trap Laws – The states listed in blue are linked so that you can click them and find out what the speed trap laws are for that particular location. Only a handful of states appear to have speed trap laws.
How to Eliminate Speed Traps – This section points out several ways you can work to eliminate the speed traps in your area. You’ll learn how to contact the right authorities to get the information on speed limits in your area, as well as, a letter you can send to your legislators.
Speed Limits: Fact & Fiction – In this section, the link I found most useful was the State Speed Limit Chart. Here you can see the speed limits for both day and night for all 50 states. You’ll also find links to research, models and explanations of speed limits.
Of course, the best way to avoid a speeding ticket is to not go over the posted limit, but sometimes that makes you a hazard to traffic that is moving faster than you and you have to go with the flow. Be careful out there and remember to buckle up!
http://www.speedtrap.org/index.html
~ Amanda