Keys to Fighting a Laser Speeding Ticket

It is possible to legally fight a laser speeding ticket. Laser speeding tickets are based on the reading of the laser gun used by the police officer. There are many factors that can affect the reading of a laser gun.

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

Laser stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. When the officer observes a vehicle speeding, he or she will focus the laser gun towards the vehicle and press the trigger. The laser gun releases over a thousand bursts of infra red lights per second which hits the target vehicle and reflects back to the laser gun. The time taken for the infra red light to travel to the target vehicle and back is used to determine the distance of the target vehicle. The speed is calculated by comparing the difference in the distances between the bursts. The Marksman LTI 20.20 is the most popular laser gun used to check speeding. Laser guns are generally very accurate. The Marksman LTI 20.20 is highly accurate. It’s accuracy rate is 1 mph for speeds up to 60 mph while for speeds exceeding 60 mph the accuracy is within 3%.

Factor Affecting Laser Gun Reading

If you want to fight a laser speeding ticket, you must understand the factors that can affect the reading. First of all the officer has to aim the laser gun towards the target vehicle. Aiming the gun is easy but laser beams have unusual beam intensity distribution. The width of the beam increases as the distance increases. So if there are other vehicles close to your vehicle, it is possible that the laser beam hit another vehicle and reflected back. So the reading will actually be showing the speed of the other vehicle and not yours. The accuracy of a laser gun can be severely affected by weather conditions – fog, rain, clouds, etc. Your vehicle’s surface can also affect the reading. Your vehicle’s surface must be reflective enough for the laser gun to give an accurate reading.

Training and Maintenance

The officer who used the laser gun must be properly trained to use it. The officer must have attended periodic training sessions. The laser gun must be properly maintained. The readings can be affected by bad maintenance. Before use, the laser gun must be properly calibrated. If it is not properly calibrated, it will affect the accuracy.  

Getting Legal Help

Challenging a laser speeding ticket requires skill and experience. Consult with an experienced attorney. The attorney can review your case and fight the laser speeding ticket.