Post by dsmclone » Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:22 pm
Our company is the world’s best radar controlled speed limit signs supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our highly specialized staff will help you find the product you need.
If you are in Iowa and you see "traffic laws photo enforced," slow down to 9 mph over, and you'll be fine. Everywhere you see this in Iowa, there is a speed camera nearby that will send you a ticket in the mail. There are only a few of these in the state.
As far as radar detectors:
I have a 10-year-old Valentine One, which used to be the best. Right now, the Uniden R3 is the best bang for the buck. Whether they are still useful:
K Band - This is the very band that is rarely used. This is also the band that is triggered by almost everything. I turn this band off.
Laser - This is used, and I've been ticketed by them, but they don't make up the majority. Unlike the other bands, your radar detector probably won't see this until it's too late. I also turn off this band. If I had a Uniden R3, I'd probably leave it on.
KA Band - When people say "instant-on," this is what they are talking about. In most states, this is the most common, and in the 15+ years of using a radar detector, I've never had a false positive. If this goes off, it means a cop is around. These can pick up from a very long distance, and your best bet is that the cops are taking measurements of people ahead or behind you, which will trigger your detector. This probably saves me five times a year.
The Uniden will also warn you about red light/speed cameras.
One big key to not getting a ticket, and should be followed regardless, is to stay out of the passing lane. Use it to pass, as intended, and then move back over. Driving in the passing lane makes you a huge target.
Every driver knows that speed limits are one of the most important rules of the road. Violating them can result in fines from law enforcement, and repeated offenses for speeding can even lead to the loss of a driver's license.
In addition, speed limits are heavily enforced in the United States by law enforcement, and new technologies have led to more effective enforcement. Here are some important things you need to know about speed limit enforcement and how it has changed over the years.
The History of Speed Limit Enforcement
What Speed Limit?
Speed limits were first created in 1901 to improve traffic safety and reduce the risk of vehicle crashes. Initially, setting speed limits was up to state discretion. The first federal speed limit law was passed in the 1970s in response to oil shortages. Speed limit signs then started appearing on the side of the road to notify motorists of how fast they should be traveling.
Variable Speed Limits
Variable speed limits change based on the time of day or week. They are used in areas like school zones or work zones where people are more vulnerable to speeding motorists. Today, they have become commonplace, but this was not always the case. The first variable speed limit was created in 1965 in Germany. While law enforcement may not always be present to catch speeders and issue tickets, variable speed limit signs are often enough to improve traffic safety. Most drivers do not intend to speed, and a visual reminder of current speed limits slows them down and keeps them at safe speeds.
Radar Was Not Always Used
There was a time when radar enforcement was not common, and law enforcement officers had a more difficult time accurately measuring speed. Experienced officers could estimate the speed of a car by observation accurately enough to catch speeders and issue a speeding ticket. However, this method did not provide precise data on how fast a driver was actually traveling.
Are Speed Limits Enough?
Posted speed limits are intended to remind drivers to regulate their speeds continually. However, on their own, they are seldom enough to prevent speeding. Here are the primary methods used by law enforcement agencies to measure speed and effectively enforce speed limits.
Observation Enforcement
In one observation technique, the law enforcement officer is located on the side of the road and observes the time it takes vehicles to travel between two points. While observation is generally not the go-to method for speed limit enforcement, it can be utilized in some cases. Another observation technique involves an officer examining the distance between their patrol car and the vehicle passing by to estimate how fast the vehicle is traveling.
Radar-Enforced Speed Limits
Often, enforcement of speed limits is done using radar from a police officer hidden from view. For radar measurements to be accurate, the measuring device must be calibrated properly. Law enforcement agencies began using radar to measure the speed of vehicles in 1954, starting in Chicago. Pennsylvania is the only remaining state that still does not allow municipal police officers to use radar to measure speed.
Another instrument, called Lidar, has become more common recently. This technique uses lasers to estimate the speed a vehicle is traveling at, and it is considered one of the most accurate forms of speed enforcement.
Aircraft Enforcement
We’ve all seen the signs warning of aircraft speed limit enforcement, and most of us have probably scoffed at the idea that speeds are actually being monitored by airplanes. However, aircraft enforcement, while being phased out by many states, is an actual practice that has been used to monitor vehicle speeds. For example, Virginia has reported that due to budget constraints, aircraft enforcement is no longer viable. However, Iowa has eight dedicated helicopters for observing speed limits and catching speeding motorists who drive dangerously or recklessly.
Automated Enforcement
While speed camera systems are not yet standard practice in the United States, they are in some areas of the world. They are growing in popularity in cities across the United States in recent years. One fundamental reason for this is that speed camera systems can catch every speeder. They significantly influence how people drive and are a powerful tool to encourage drivers to obey speed limit signs.
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How Many Areas in the United States Use Automated Enforcement?
There are currently close to 100 jurisdictions that use automated speed enforcement to capture images of speeders and issue speeding tickets. Speed cameras are typically mounted on the side of the road. They measure speed and capture images of speeding motorists, which can be automatically mailed out as warnings or used to issue tickets. Speed cameras typically use radar or lidar technology. They are making a strong impact on how speed limits are enforced and changing the way people drive.
Does Automated Enforcement Reduce Accident Rates and Increase Traffic Safety?
The reduction in accident rates varies from one region to another, but crashes resulting in injury are reduced by an average of 28 to 48 percent. Crashes causing property damage but not injury are reduced by as much as 46 to 56 percent with automated enforcement. Crashes causing serious physical injuries have become 11 to 44 percent less common with speed cameras. This reduction could provide insight into using speed cameras to save countless lives.
How Much Slower Do People Tend to Go in Regions Where Automated Enforcement Is Used?
Studies found that drivers went an average of 1 to 15 percent slower in regions where speed camera systems were utilized. This reduction is enough to result in less serious injury and decreased likelihood of death in the event of a crash. The range of speed reduction varies depending on the type of roadway and other individual factors.
How Long Does It Take Jurisdictions to Implement This Enforcement?
The time to implement changes varies from one region to another, usually between four to six months to fully plan and integrate speed camera systems. This includes educating residents about how cameras measure speed and setting up systems to issue tickets or warnings. It’s likely that it will take less time to integrate this technology in the future due to improvements in technology training and integration.
How Long Do Cameras Reduce the Speed of Drivers?
In addition to causing drivers to reduce speeds in the areas where speed camera systems are in place, people often tend to drive slower for a significant distance beyond the zone of automated enforcement. This can substantially reduce the frequency of accidents as well.
What Can We Expect in the Future When It Comes to Speed Limit Enforcement?
While it is difficult to predict what the future will bring regarding the enforcement of speed limits, here are some changes that we may encounter in the future.
Speed Limits Are Likely to Change
As new technologies are implemented that make driving at higher speeds safer and enforce proper traffic safety, it’s possible that the speed limit in some regions will be increased. However, higher speed limits may lead to more accidents. One study showed that increased speed limits in some areas might have led to as many as 37,000 more accidents. Additionally, the average American vehicle is now more than ten years old, and it’s uncertain whether vehicles of the future will be better equipped to avoid crashes at higher speeds.
Radar Will Become More Accurate
Radar is likely to become more accurate and advance ways that allow law enforcement officers to measure speed and catch speeders from further away. Furthermore, it’s likely to become easier for radar measurements to be transmitted using the internet due to the increasing availability of smarter technology.
Photo Enforcement
As more research shows the benefit of photo enforcement on driver behavior, it’s likely to become a more popular way for cities to control dangerous driving and protect their roads.
Satellite Enforcement
Satellites could monitor entire roadways with ease, removing much of the burden of monitoring roadways from law enforcement agencies. Currently, satellite enforcement of speed limits is already being implemented in the UK through a program called Speed Spike, used to improve traffic safety. This program uses satellites to capture the speed of drivers on two stretches of road, and the system works regardless of the weather. Furthermore, the satellite program can also detect speeds at night, as satellites are capable of seeing more than just visible light. While satellites are currently quite expensive, this may change in the future, making satellite technology affordable for local governments to measure speed, catch speeders, and discourage dangerous motorists.
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