Earlier in the week we told you about how GPS vehicle tracking technology has put police radar to the test at a trial in California.
From testimonies at the speeding trial of 18-year-old Shaun Malone in Sonoma County, California, it emerged that Rocky Mountain Tracking’s GPS device may have helped uncover an illegal speed trap. Malone’s stepfather installed a GPS tracking device in the car Malone drives to stay informed about the teen’s driving habits and keep his stepson safe.
During the trial, an expert vouched for the accuracy of the GPS tracking device. Dr. Stephen Heppe said on the stand that the Rocky Mountain Tracking’s device was “very accurate,” and that it released instantaneous, as opposed to averaged, data.
So not only has GPS tracking technology taken on a radar gun, it has also become instrumental in examining the way speeding tickets are issued in general. The GPS device recorded Malone’s speed in real time. In contrast, the radar gun used by the police officer who issued Malone a speeding ticket may have only taken an average speed.
For his part, the officer meant Malone no harm. He testified that he believed the reading to be accurate. However, he also admitted that the reading could be attributed to something other than Malone’s car.
Averaged data seems to be more the problem with the stretch of highway that Malone’s attorney called an illegal speed trap. According to one expert, the state’s study of driving speeds illogically averaged the speeds on two different sections to come up with the speed limit. Setting the speed limit below the average speed of most motorists on a specific stretch amounts to an illegal speed trap. This could invalidate hundreds of speeding tickets issued in the same area, including Malone’s.
The actions that one concerned parent took to install a GPS tracking device on a teenager’s care could have much wider ramifications than he ever imagined. This speaks to the power and accuracy of GPS tracking technology.
If you want to know how fast anyone is driving, be it yourself, your kids, your spouse or track employees, a GPS tracking device can give you the information you need. Contact Rocky Mountain Tracking today to learn about what GPS tracking can do for you.
