Radar Detector Laws
The benefits of driving with a radar detector are clear. First, you can edge above the speed limit on occasion without constantly worrying about the risk of a ticket. Second, you can get an early warning when police or state troopers are present and monitoring traffic, which serves as a strong reminder to drive safely and be aware of your surroundings. If you plan to drive with a radar detector, though, it pays to know what laws govern their use in your state.
Other People Are Reading
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State Law
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According to Todd Sherman, who maintains a site dedicated to the topic (see references below), radar detectors are completely legal for use in cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles and other private vehicles in nearly every state. The only state that currently bans the use of radar detectors is Virginia. Radar detectors are also illegal in Washington, D.C. It is worth noting that Minnesota has laws against attaching objects to the inside of a vehicle's windshield, so radar detectors and other devices suspended from the glass, with a suction cup or by other means, are illegal. If your radar detector rests on the dashboard, is clipped to a sun visor or is held in place some other way, you should be fine. Also, a law in New York forbids the use of radar detectors in vehicles weighing more than 18,000 pounds, which includes many motor homes and recreational vehicles (RVs).
Federal Law
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Again according to Todd Sherman, a 2002 federal law makes it illegal to use a radar detector in commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds. This covers most buses, semi trucks (tractor-trailers) and other heavy-duty trucks. The federal law applies to the entire United States.
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Military Law
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The use of radar detectors is forbidden on all United States military bases, according to RadarBusters.com.
Scanners
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Portable police scanners are a common complement to radar detectors, but separate laws govern their use. Penalties for using a police scanner in conjunction with a crime are often harsh, but most states allow the use of scanners by law-abiding citizens. Todd Sherman lists Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota and New York, however, as states with laws currently prohibiting the use of police scanners in a private vehicle.
Jammers
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Radar and laser jammers interfere with the equipment law enforcement officials use to measure a vehicle's speed. As with police scanners, jammers are legal in most of the country but are outlawed in a handful of states. According to RadarBusters.com, jammers are illegal in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit jeffwilcox: Flickr.com
