There are a few states in the United States that utilize aircraft to observe speeders and reckless drivers. Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are being used more and more for traffic enforcement. Amazingly, though, aircraft enforcement does not typically involve the use of radar. Instead, it is actually a more straight-forward “stopwatch time over distance between the white lines in the road” type of equation that helps a pilot figure out whether a driver is speeding.
Having timed the speeding motorist, the pilot then radios the vehicle’s information to a state trooper or ground unit that is waiting nearby, who then stops the car and issues a ticket. If you believe that you were issued a ticket based on the use of an aircraft, you may want to contact a New Jersey traffic ticket attorney who can review the specifics of your case and see if there was some sort of speed trap or notice violation that may be available to you as a defense.
Just remember that all hope is not lost if you received a ticket based on the use of aircraft enforcement. So often, people just simply decide to pay the ticket because they don’t believe that they have a way out, especially if their speed was caught by an aircraft. However, it is important to note that if you decide to fight the ticket, both the officer on the ground and the spotter or pilot of the aircraft must appear in court to verify that it was, in fact, you who was stopped and issued the ticket. If you need a New Jersey traffic attorney, contact Dan Matrafajlo for a free consultation.
