Rocky Mountain Tracking

Daily GPS News

GPS Study Shows Drivers Obey Speed For With Cash Incentives

July 1st, 2012

A recent study was conducted by traffic safety researchers in an attempt to find a way to incentivize drivers to obey the posted speed limits. The study was partially funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and implemented GPS tracking devices in order to gather accurate speed data. Eight vehicles were monitored with GPS tracking devices, with a total of 50 participants driving one of these vehicles for four weeks. At the end of each week, if the drivers avoided going five miles above the speed limit, they were rewarded $25. However, each time the drivers exceeded the speed limit by five to eight mph, three cents were docked from the reward. If the driver went nine or more mph above the limit, he or she was docked six cents.

“We found that the incentive system was incredibly effective in getting drivers to reduce their speeding,” said Ian Reagan, a traffic safety researcher for the NHTSA. “Egregious speed limit violations were almost eliminated — that’s driving nine or more [mph] over the speed limit.” For decades traffic safety experts have attempted to motivate drivers to obey speed limits. Speeding is deadly serious, and results in approximately 12,000 fatal accidents every year in the U.S.. Despite flashing signs informing drivers of their speed, increasingly costly speeding fines, and hidden speeding cameras, drivers continue to put themselves and others in danger by speeding.

At last, researchers have found a method that actually works, by using the carrot rather than the stick. “At least one driver said they made a game out of it,” Reagan said. “They wanted to see if they could keep that incentive amount of $25.” Unfortunately, it’s unlikely the government will be able to fund a program like this on a large scale. However, many insurance companies already offer discounts and other incentive programs for safe driving. Perhaps Progressive or Mercury insurance companies will soon track their customers with GPS tracking devices and offer rewards for obeying posted speed limits.

GPS Gets Driver Out of Ticket

March 2nd, 2011

A man recently got out of a speeding ticket thanks to a GPS tracking device in his smartphone. The speed limit where he was driving was 25 miles an hour, but the cop clocked him in at 40 mph.

Big problem.

Fortunately, he was running a GPS tracking application, Google Tracks, on his smartphone at the time. He pulled up his history and found various bits of data, including Distance Driven, Average Speed, Elevation Levels, and — most importantly — Maximum Speed. His maximum speed driven? 26 mph.

He clearly was not speeding.

He transcribed an account of the entire ordeal, along with data from Google Tracks, so that he could fight it in court, and found a court case in the Sonoma County Superior Court that dealt with this situation.

When it came time for traffic court, the defendant argued “Not Guilty”. First, he asked the officer some questions about the radar gun he was using, the time of it’s last calibration, and the officer’s radar gun training. He then provided GPS tracking device evidence that showed that he was not speeding.

The verdict? Not guilty. (The judge cited a lack of evidence on the officer’s part, although the defendant believes that the GPS data had something to do with the verdict).

Will this work for you? It’s debatable. The courts are still determining the veracity and validity of GPS data in a court of law with regards to speed limits. One thing is clear, though: this was one resourceful driver!

Article Written by Greg Minton

Stop High Speed Pursuits with GPS Devices

July 11th, 2010

It’s about time that we begin to find some ways to reduce high speed police chases in our communities. These events often include serious crashes which results in injury to those being pursued, the police officers or innocent bystanders. While one of the ways to reduce the risk is for police to pull off of these activities, there are methods that are being attempted to make this happen.

Police Chases & GPS Tracking

The latest is called a StarChase system. The system used a propelled GPS Tracking device that is fired from the pursuing police vehicle to the fleeing subjects car which will attach to the back so that the car can be tracking via GPS Tracking.

This allows the police to pull back on the chase and allow the fleeing driver to slow down. This new development gets strong consideration because of the following reasons:

Public Safety Needs are Considered Ahead of Apprehension

One of the main cries against high-speed chases is that it puts the safety of the public at risk. Any time a chase ensues, speed limits and traffic signals are ignored. The mere presence of a police vehicle spurs the fleeing subjects to go even faster. Depending on the charges that are pending against the driver, police are more resolute in the capture of the perpetrators. This is especially true if the subjects have tried to deliberately injure an officer.

Reduces Accidents and Innocent Bystanders Involvement

If the fleeing subject slows down (after presumably eluding the police), accidents would be avoided and it also might make them think that they have succeeded in shaking the police. And, even if they know about the tracking device, they would have to stop their vehicle to try to remove it, which would give police the opportunity they need to surround them and prevent the chase from continuing.

Assists Police and Protects the Public

Using the GPS Tracking device as a guide, dispatchers can direct police vehicles to the exact location of the fleeing vehicle. Using a backed-off method and a surrounding philosophy, those who are trying to get away will soon learn that they cannot do so which will hopefully convince them to stop.

As gps devices become more of a standard tool for our police forces nationwide, we will all be able to rest a little easier knowing that high speed chases will become a thing of the past. Hopefully sooner, rather than later.

4 Things you Must Know about Avoiding Traffic Fines

April 13th, 2010

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

When it comes to moving violations, most people do not realize that they have specific things that they can do to avoid the fines and points that are placed on their licenses after they are convicted of the offenses. Here are four things that you must know which will help you avoid having to pay exorbitant fines that come with most traffic infractions.

GPS & Radar

Find out about Maintenance on Radar Units

Radar units are sensitive pieces of electronic equipment that are susceptible to heat and cold. The changes in temperature for any and all electronic devices can cause inconsistency in their operations. When it comes to accuracy, the manufacturers of these devices have a maintenance schedule to which these units must be held to make sure they are functioning correctly. When you get a ticket, you need to know whether or not the unit in question has been maintained properly. If not, it is grounds to have your ticket thrown out of court.

But, there is an even more effective way of disputing a ticket with a GPS Tracking device. You can use the history of these devices to tell you whether or not you were in compliance with speed limits. If not, pay the ticket and go on. If your reading differs from that of the unit that clocked your speed, you have a right to go to court and present evidence which can have the ticket thrown out.

Recognize that Police make Mistakes

When the police officer tracked your speed with a radar unit, were you in traffic or alone on the road? If there are other vehicles around, who is to say that you were the one speeding? Did he maintain visual contact with your vehicle after he clocked your speed? If not, then how does he know it was you that he tracked? Was the reading on his radar unit for your vehicle or one that he tracked earlier and gave a ticket to? Police officers are not infallible and you need to make sure that they have the right vehicle and that the speed was indeed what they said it was.

GPS Tracking can help you by providing evidence of where you were on the day that you were given a ticket.

Locate Speed Traps

Everyone knows that there are certain speed traps that you must either avoid or slow down when approaching throughout your community. Local police set up in familiar locations from time to time when they realize that they do not have enough money coming in to the coffers to meet operating expenses. This should be illegal, but it isn’t. GPS Tracking units can help here, once again, in providing evidence of your innocence or guilt after you are cited for a moving violation.

Use Your Rights

Since moving violations are so expensive, there is merit to fighting them in order to keep the points off of your license. You have rights as a citizen in making sure that the charges against you are valid. And you can request a jury trial if necessary. But mostly that is not needed. Just having your ‘trusty’ GPS Tracking device can help you avoid these problems.

Also, make sure that you do your best to obey posted speed limits and other laws governing drivers actions. Chances are, you will not get any tickets, but in case you do, better be safe than sorry that you didn’t have a GPS Tracking device to help you.

Rocky Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking Device to meet any need. Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for your business. You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.

GPS Tracking Helps Ward Off Errant Traffic Tickets

April 10th, 2010

By Greg Bartlett

GPS technology is a space-based positioning system. It uses space satellites to provide up-to-date positioning and tracking information. GPS operates under a space/control/user system. This means that all the information starts with the several dozen satellites in space, then moves to several different monitoring or control centers here on the ground. From the control centers it moves to the millions of users, who range from the military, to law enforcement, to plain civilians. GPS technology comes in several different forms. One of these forms is a GPS tracking device for your car. It is helpful equipment to have in your car. It lets you know where your car is, how fast it’s going, and where and when it’s stopped. And, the device’s reliable information is now being used in court.

GPS & Radar

It used to be that if you were caught speeding, there wasn’t much you could do about it. You would have to take the officer’s word for it, get your ticket, pay your fine, and move on. Now, however, you have another option. It has been successful in a few cases in other parts of the world, but not yet here in the US. Here’s the trick…install a GPS tracking device in your car as soon as you purchase the vehicle. There are many benefits to having a tracking device in your car. One of these benefits is that it logs all your travel data and stores it on the GPS tracking device for later retrieval. Some of this travel data includes your speed, your stops, and your route. People have tried to use the device’s logged data in court; they bring their tracking device into court and retrieve the data to prove their case. The GPS tracking device can show the time, location, and speed at which your car travels. So far, this approach has actually worked in a case in Australia and one in England. One man in Ohio recently tried this, but, unfortunately for him, it did not hold up in court.

Because of their prevalence in today’s society, it is fairly common to see GPS in cars. The more common they become, the easier it is going to be see GPS tracking devices permitted in court. Before long, I am sure we’ll see GPS tracking devices in court, and their information will soon be an acceptable form of evidentiary support.

Fight Traffic Fines with GPS Tracking

March 31st, 2010

by James Neely, freelance writer

Its every driver’s bane: the traffic ticket. You are minding your own business, when all of a sudden out of nowhere; you see the flashing red and blue lights in your rearview mirror and hear a short blast on the siren. You’ve broken a traffic law (or so says the officer) and now you have to pay a fine. And as it turns out, it is a really, really high fine. What’s going on here?

Traffic Fines & GPS Tracking

More states are raising their fines because they are in a financial bind. It seems like highway robbery but it is a reality that we have to deal with nonetheless. Fox news has issued a story about this which can be read here.

But, there are even more devious means of raising revenues from traffic fines and incidents that may not include a stop by your friendly law enforcement officer. Some cities and towns are equipping their traffic signals with red-light cameras that take a snap shot of your license plate if you move through the intersection on a red light. Sneaky tactics like these are becoming more popular.

It does not stop there either. Should you find yourself involved in an accident, you might find a bill in your mailbox several days later for the cost of cleaning up the accident.

How does one fight back against these new revenue generating methods being employed by cities and towns across the nation? Here are some suggestions:

Do Not Break Traffic Laws

This one is not difficult to do and will keep you out of all sorts of problems. But, it requires you do take a more active approach to your driving. You must focus on the task at hand and eliminate distractions. Do not take cell phone calls, or (heaven forbid) text message while you are driving. If you must take or make a call, pull over to the side of the road out of danger and then take the call. Limit your call to just several minutes and then get back on your way. Sitting on the side of the road poses a danger, too.

Obey the speed limits to within a few miles an hour, and become a good defensive driver. These practices will help keep you out of trouble and will help you keep more money in your pocket.

Know the Laws

Being aware of state laws regarding moving violations can be useful if and when you are required to defend yourself. Most states have laws that state that if you are issued a ticket, you have a right to examine all of the evidence that was used in making the decision to give you that ticket. Your goal should be to examine the evidence and make sure that it is valid.

For example, manufacturers of radar units have guidelines that must be adhered to in order to make sure that they are functioning normally. These guidelines can be used against a police department if the radar units have not been serviced (tested) at pre-determined intervals to make sure they are in peak operating condition. If not, then a legal question as to whether or not they are function correctly and producing accurate readings is in order. You have a right to request logs that show if the units have been maintained properly according to manufacturer guidelines. Your case can be thrown out of court if they have not been. It can take a little bit of time and effort to get this information, but it can also keep you from having to pay hundreds of dollars in fines and fees when you go to pay your ticket.

Use Technology

Make a small investment in a GPS Tracking device for your vehicles. These units have already been used in court to establish evidence as to the speed of a vehicle at the time of an accident or a traffic citation. They can protect you in other ways, too. Helping you keep track of the use of your vehicle is a side benefit as well.

Face it, you are going to have to work harder to keep from getting tickets for moving violations. The above suggestions will help and as a result, you might become a better driver, too. Good Luck.

GPS Combats Speed Watchers

January 20th, 2010

by James Neely, freelance writer

From California comes a story which reveals that the state is getting ready to roll out speed sensors on red light cameras at major intersections. Debate is formulating whether or not this is another way that the government is impinging on personal rights while it seeks to raise revenue from speeding tickets without the overhead of having to pay police to do the job.

GPS & Radar

Another troubling thing about this is that the fines for speeding that are generated from this activity have been proposed to be from $225 to $325 for each violation. The money generated from these fines would be shared among cities and counties in which the infractions occurred.

How to Fight Back

Slow Down: The first thing that drivers must do when faced with these actions is to drive the speed limit and no more. If you are not in violation of the law, you will avoid staying out of trouble.

Maintenance Check: Make sure that your speedometer is accurate. It is your responsibility to insure that your speedometer is working correctly so that you do not get false readings which can lead to tickets. One way that you can check this is to request the local police to visit your house, and then have them clock you on their radar unit as you drive up and down the street. Be sure to ask if the officer’s radar unit has been calibrated recently. They are known to drift from their settings due to the temperature extremes that police vehicles are often placed under.

Radar Detectors? Some will argue that radar detectors are the way to go, but these have an inherent problem: most radar units are set to power up and emit signals immediately before they track your speed. This means that radar detectors will not be able to “see” the radar until it is too late. Will this type of radar unit be used in these situations? It remains to be seen.

Better Yet: Consider adding a GPS car tracking device to your vehicle. These units are always on and always tracking and can provide speed data which you can use to prove your innocence in a court of law (as long as you were really abiding by the speed limit). It has been done before and you are well within your rights to use this method to keep from having to pay the fine and court costs along with the ensuing points that go onto your record.

In reality, the fine and court costs can approach the cost of a GPS car tracking device. Furthermore, you will probably be entitled to a break on your insurance premiums when you do install one of these units.

Finally, do these red-light cameras and now the radar units attached really reduce unsafe driving activities? That remains to be seen as the data is not available to support that premise. But, one thing remains clear, the primary purpose appears to be making money, not making the streets safer.

GPS car tracking devices will help you keep a close watch on your vehicles and those who drive them. What better way of helping to reduce the possibility of getting a ticket than with closer monitoring and instructing those who drive your vehicles to be aware of their actions at all times? It just makes sense.

GPS Trackers And A Speeding Ticket

November 17th, 2009

By Greg Bartlett

We often talk about the amazing new ways that GPS tracking is aiding law enforcement. Officers all over the country have used GPS trackers to follow suspects, track drug shipments, and keep tabs on parolees. However, a recent case highlights the ability of GPS trackers to keep some over-zealous police in line.

GPS & Radar

Garath Powell was driving near Bristol, UK last November on a street marked with the limit of 50mph. A police officer staked out near road A4174 used his laser gun to clock the man at 61mph, a speed well worth pulling over. Powell took the ticket, but he was nearly certain that he had stayed below the limit. Thankfully, he had installed a GPS tracker on his vehicle, and that gave him an idea. He called the tracking company and asked if they could provide him some speed and location data at the point in time he was passing the officer. Navman Wireless, a GPS company that operates in the UK, gladly gave Powell the information he needed.

As it turns out, the GPS tracker logged him as going no more than 48mph in the 50mph zone. Somehow the officer had clocked him wrong. Powell took this information to the hearing, and a Navman technology official came along to serve as an expert witness. The Notice of Intended Prosecution was torn up, and the case was thrown out. Though Powell’s prosecution was only dismissed this past October, nearly a year after the initial ticket, his case will set a clear precedent for incorporating data from personal GPS trackers into a body of evidence for the defense.

Whether or not the officer’s assessment of Powell’s speed was an accident, this will likely encourage the use of GPS trackers in vehicles, if only to provide an extra bit of information during a dispute. The case certainly highlights the accuracy of these devices, even when compared to the standard laser gun, whose accuracy is subject to a variety of environmental factors.

Of course, the efficiency of GPS trackers can be less than helpful to speeding drivers. Parents in both the UK and the US have discovered the benefits of keeping tabs on their younger drivers’ speed. Instead of searching for peel marks on their driveway, Mom and Dad can now just place a worry-free GPS tracker under the dash. The accuracy and efficiency of GPS tracking can keep almost anyone in line.

Driver Evades Ticket Thanks to GPS Tracker

November 16th, 2009

By Harriette Halepis

Gareth Powell, a Bristol, England, resident was driving down a major highway on November 28th, 2008, when a police offer pulled him over, and proceeded to write him a ticket. In this type of situation, most drivers would have questioned whether or not they had, indeed, been speeding – but not Powell.

Speeding & GPS Tracking

Powell knew that he wasn’t speeding. Not only is he a caution driver that never speeds, he also had a GPS tracker in his car that day. In addition to tracking Powell, his GPS tracker was also able to keep track of how fast he was going.

After contacting the GPS tracking company that manufactured his tracker, Powell found out that he was, indeed, within the speed limit on the date in question. During Powell’s court hearing, he presented the GPS tracking evidence to the court.

The court immediately threw out Powell’s ticket on the grounds that his GPS tracker was precise – he simply wasn’t speeding that day, and he had documented proof. Many people are given speeding tickets on a regular basis, but most people do not have a GPS tracker inside of their cars.

If Powell had not taken the time to purchase a GPS tracker, he would have been forced to dole out a large amount of money to pay for a traffic crime that he didn’t commit. GPS trackers can do a lot more than track your vehicle – in the case of Powell vs. the city of Bristol, a GPS tracker can prove your innocence.

Speeding Tickets and GPS Tracking

October 21st, 2009

by James Neely, freelance writer: click | HERE | to check out GPS products from Rocky Mountain Tracking

Ask yourself this question: when you are driving, what is the first thing you do when you see a police car? If you answered push the brake pedal, you are in the majority of drivers. Why is that? We are programmed to automatically assume that we are doing something wrong and need to clean up our act.

GOTCHA!

If you are a little on the ‘heavy-footed’ side of driving, the chances are high that you have gotten more than your share of speeding tickets, right? It does not matter the amount of your violation in terms of mph, the cost is usually over $100 per violation. That is a ridiculous, but you cannot do anything about it. Or can you?

You can continue to pay those expensive tickets, or you can purchase a GPS Tracking device for your vehicle which can help provide court-admissible evidence of your actual speed. Here’s why this is important and how it can help you.

Radar Units are Not Perfect

Police are Not Infallible

When the police officer tracked your speed with a radar unit, were you in traffic or alone on the road? If there are other vehicles around, who is to say that you were the one speeding? Did he maintain visual contact with your vehicle after he clocked you for speed? If not, then how does he know it was you that he tracked? Was the reading on his radar unit for your vehicle or one that he tracked earlier and gave a ticket to? Police officers are not infallible and you need to make sure that they have the right vehicle and that the speed was indeed what they said it was.

GPS Tracking can help you by providing evidence of where you were on the day that you were given a ticket.

Speed Traps Exist

You Have Rights

Also, make sure that you do your best to obey posted speed limits and other laws governing drivers actions. Chances are, you will not have get any tickets, but in case you do, better be safe than sorry that you didn’t have a GPS Tracking device to help you.

Rocking Mountain Tracking has the best line-up of GPS Tracking Device to meet any need. Take a look at their products and options for the best fit for your business. You will find knowledgeable sales persons in helping you get the best unit to meet your requirements.