Are Speed Traps Legal?

Are speed traps legal?

By Feifer & Greenberg LLP
4:26 pm

Speed traps are legal. Sorry, they are.

You might feel somehow the particular enforcement area or method was “unfair” or a deception of some sort. Some might confuse such enforcement with “entrapment” which is a legal defense to criminal charges based on some coercion or tactics used by police to induce someone to commit the crime. Unfortunately, no one is “trapped” into speeding. If there is a speed limit posted, the law requires you to obey it. If you are observed exceeding that limit, then you may be issued a speeding ticket. There is no interaction at all with the police until after the violation has been observed. The police didn’t induce you into speeding.

There are some situations where an officer might be set up for enforcement in an improper position, such as private property without the owner’s consent. This isn’t necessarily an illegal “speed trap” as much as it’s a different issue altogether.

If you are caught in a scenario that you thought was a speed trap, learning that such traps aren’t really recognized by the law shouldn’t discourage you from contesting the charge. “Trap” or not, you have the same legal recourse to fight your speeding ticket. Contact a New York speeding ticket lawyer today for more information about how that works.

What is a speed trap?

Speed trap is a term many people use to describe a few different scenarios on the road. Perhaps it’s an officer hiding behind a billboard or a building or an officer waiting at the bottom of a hill or in an area on a highway or highway exit ramp where the speed limit suddenly decreases for some reason. These are the typical types of situations we’ll often hear people describe to us as “traps”.

What some people might be quick to label a “trap” of sorts is usually just a police officer tasked with the job of citing individuals for speeding and choosing spots where he’s most likely to find people exceeding the speed limit.

Penalties for Speeding in New York State

New York has penalties for speeding tickets that can vary based on where the summons is issued, how much over the limit one is charged with driving and whether it all happened in a specifically designated zone such as a school or work zone. Fines, points (anywhere from 3 to 11), insurance increase and driver assessments are all potential penalties from even a single speeding violation. In excessive cases, imprisonment (although rare) can be in the mix as well.

Contact TicketHelp to Fight Your Ticket

If you have received a speeding ticket in New York, consider your options carefully before deciding to fight it on your own. Contact the lawyers of Feifer & Greenberg at TicketHelp.com for assistance.

We have a team of experienced attorneys who have contested thousands of speeding tickets all over New York State. We’re happy to provide anyone who reaches out with a free consultation and of course happy to fight on your behalf if you decide to work with our firm.

FREE CASE EVALUATION

FAQ

Your office is in NYC. How do you handle cases statewide?

We have organized a statewide network of attorneys. In our network are both attorneys who work for Feifer & Greenberg and attorneys who work for other firms that regularly provide of-counsel representation to our clients. This statewide network allows us to match clients in a particular county or court with local attorneys who regularly appear on similar matters in the same county or court. It enables us to help clients anywhere in New York State and in our opinion provide particularly effective and affordable representation for our clients. Local attorneys can draw on their particular local experiences and, with travel time and expense removed from the equation, help us keep our legal fees low.

Do you guarantee results?

We can only guarantee that we will provide the best possible client service and legal representation. We can’t guarantee results. These are legal proceedings and we can’t promise you that every case will end in our favor. We will always honestly assess your case (both good and bad) and set realistic expectations during your consultation. We’ll discuss our goals and objectives but no attorney can ever guarantee how a case will conclude.

Should I just pay my ticket or should I fight?

We recommend fighting almost all tickets. Even if the current NY traffic tickets aren’t particularly harmful, you have an incentive to keep your record clean for the future. Convictions quickly lead to surcharges, insurance increases and other complications. You should strongly consider any decision to pay a ticket without fighting.

How can our traffic ticket lawyers help you?

Our lawyers are experienced, prepared attorneys who understand the nuances of fighting traffic tickets. Experience, preparation and good decision making help us to help our clients avoid points, surcharges, insurance increases and the other negatives that can easily result from a traffic ticket.

Are Speed Traps Legal?