Ocean City Speeding Charges
In Ocean City, speeding means going any speed over the maximum speed allowed on that piece of roadway. If the maximum speed on the road is 45 miles per hour, the driver is technically speeding even if they are only going 46 miles per hour. A driver can be ticketed for going as little as one mile per hour over the speed limit. An experienced Ocean City speeding ticket lawyer will be able to help you navigate the charges and keep you informed of your rights.
When Someone Can be Pulled Over
Individuals can be pulled over for going five miles per hour over the posted speed limit. Ocean City officers often use a speeding violation as basis to conduct the investigation that they really want to conduct when they suspect that the driver may be driving while impaired or under the influence.
They may pull somebody over for a minor speed violation which may be five miles per hour over the speed limit, but it could be that they saw the vehicle leave the parking lot of a bar on Coastal Highway at one in the morning. They suspect that the driver is probably driving under the influence. The officer just needs any violation of the traffic law to pull the vehicle over, which leads to further investigation to see if the person is impaired.
How Ocean City Police Prove Speeding
Officers in Ocean City use radar or lasers to check speed. Both require that the officer was trained and certified to operate the radar or laser gun. An officer can also calculate the speed of your vehicle by conducting a pace. In court, the officer states the speed limit, what his speed showed on his speedometer, and how much distance was between his car and the car that he was tracking.
Most speeding tickets in Ocean City result after a police officer has determined someone to be speeding through either the use of a radar gun or LIDAR. People often take issue regarding the speed the officer says they were going. The unfortunate reality of court is when the officer comes to court and has proof that they are certified to operate the radar. Courts and judges in Ocean City place a great deal of weight on an officer’s testimony if they have the required certifications to show that their radar unit was certified and operational at the time of the stop. The judge may ask the driver for proof of the speed he claims to have been driving.
Defenses Against Speeding Charges in Ocean City
Sometimes a person will argue that they were not going 64 mph in a 55 mph zone; the most they could have been going was 58 miles per hour. In that instance, the judge can convict them of going three miles over the maximum speed. It is a very difficult battle to beat a speeding ticket.
However, an Ocean City speeding ticket attorney can be helpful in a case like this because they know what kind of certifications to ask the officer to provide the day of the court hearing. If the officer does not bring their required certifications, then there is a possibility that someone’s attorney can get the ticket thrown out or procure an ultimate decision of not guilty.