According to the Code of Virginia, § 46.2-1079, “Radar detectors; demerit points not to be awarded”
- It is illegal for any individual caught driving a vehicle on the roads or on the highways of Virginia, which contains any mechanism or device (active or passive) that interferes with the law-enforcement authority’s laser or radar’s speed measurement capabilities of the motor vehicles on the road.
- It is illegal for any individual to use any mechanism or device while driving the roads of Virginia.
- It is illegal for any individual to sell any such mechanism or device in the state of Virginia’s Commonwealth.
What Are The Consequences For A Virginian To Have A Radar Detector?
In the state of Virginia, owning a radar detector will be treated as a fine. The good news is that no demerit points are placed for this offense. The authorities have all the right to confiscate the device if they feel the need for it to use it as an evidence. As soon as the trial reaches a conclusion, the officer will have to return the device back to the owner.
What Should Virginians Be Aware Of About Radar Detectors
The public must be well aware that a radar detector cannot detect every method used by the police to measure the speed of a motor vehicle. Radar detectors can sense only radar equipment. Law enforcement authorities, these days, are normally using laser equipment. This modern equipment are not only undetectable by a radar detector, but also more accurate in measuring the exact speed of a vehicle. However, some officers still carry a radar detector. Drivers should be aware that using a radar detector is still a risk of being caught and receiving a speeding ticket.
The biggest mistake many citizens of Virginia make with radar detectors is when they fail to understand exactly what the law is. Majority of the people think that there is no harm if the device is unplugged. Whereas, the importance and emphasis should be placed on the device to be inaccessible. For instance, if a driver is found with a broken radar detector next to them. Even though the radar detector is not working and cannot detect any other radar, the driver will still be held for its charges because the device was found accessible.
Those who are traveling from other states of America to the state of Virginia, often make the blunder of traveling with radar detectors and failing to remember disabling it. The state of Virginia has simply made the operation of radar detectors to be illegal.
Contact Your Virginian Speeding Ticket Lawyer
The law can be quite confusing and puzzling for a citizen to understand by themselves. Your Virginian lawyer will help you clarify if you have been rightly charged for this violation. For some reason, if you are not able to get your radar detector back from the police officer, your lawyer can assist you in getting it back.