If a police officer uses a “laser” unit to determine the speed of a car is this harder to fight than if the officer used “radar?
No, laser speed measurement can be very accurate (even more accurate than radar) if the unit is used properly and under the correct conditions. However, generally police do not use the units in accordance with the manufacturers instructions and often use them at a range that makes the reported speed results highly questionable. Also, appellate courts in NYS have not given “judicial notice” to the use of this technology. This means that if a case comes to trial the prosecution must demonstrate to the court that the scientific principles underlying the technology are broadly accepted. Many attorney’s would rather fight a “laser” ticket than a “radar” ticket.
