Police Radar Detectors in Loudoun County

In some states, it is legal to possess and use police radar detectors. In others, like Virginia, this is not the case. In Loudoun County, even having one turned off and unplugged is illegal, as long as it is accessible to anyone within the vehicle. If you were caught with a radar detector in your vehicle and were issued a citation, contact an experienced Loudoun County speeding ticket attorney. They will be able to help mitigate the citation.

Basics of Police Radar Detectors

A police radar detector is an instrument that detects whether there is a police radar gun in the area at a distance that is a further away than the police gun can detect the speed of the vehicle. In Loudoun, it is illegal to have a radar detector if it’s accessible to anyone in the vehicle. You can have one in your trunk as long as it’s unplugged and inaccessible to anyone in the vehicle.

If you’re coming from a state where it is legal to have radar detectors, you should put your radar detector in your trunk, unplug it, and turn it off once you’re in Loudoun. The penalty for having it is a fine. No demerit points are issued and there’s no jail time. The officer can take the radar detector if he believes that it’s necessary to be used as evidence.

Legality of Radar Detectors in Loudoun County

People should know exactly what the law in Loudoun County says about radar detectors before they drive through the area. It’s pretty easy to misunderstand and believe that if you have a radar detector that’s turned off in your vehicle, then you’re good to go. As long as the radar detector is accessible, it’s still illegal.

This means it can be unplugged, it can be turned off, and it can even be broken, but as long as it’s accessible, you’re still at risk for being ticketed for it. The best thing to do is always have it in your trunk, turned off, and unplugged—or not have it at all.

Other Methods Law Enforcement Officals Use to Detect Speed

Individuals should also know that, while radar detectors are really great at detecting radar guns by police officers, they are not the only way that police officers detect a vehicle’s speed. Police officers also use LIDAR, which requires its own detector to find.

They also use pacing, which is not detectable at all. Police officers also sometimes have radar detector detectors, or RDDs. You need to be careful because you could get not only a speeding ticket, but then you could get an infraction for having an illegal radar detector.

The biggest mistake to avoid with radar detectors in Loudoun is misunderstanding the law and then getting in trouble for something that you thought you were doing correctly.

Get a Loudoun County Speeding Ticket Lawyer’s Help

A speeding ticket lawyer in Loudoun County can help you understand whether you were charged properly, because the laws tend to be confusing. If your radar detector was confiscated by the police officer, your lawyer can absolutely help you get it back as long as it is within six months of the last hearing date.