You’re driving in the left lane a few miles per hour over the speed limit, a police officer pulls up behind you, and you move into the right lane. After you slow down…you can’t help but wonder, is it possible that they gave me a ticket?
Can a cop clock your speed while driving?
Yes, police cars are equipped with car-mounted radar units that can detect speed from both the front and behind.
They also have a ‘moving mode’ which means that the radar can detect your speed in relation to the speed of the police vehicle. This means that if a police vehicle is directly in front or behind you, they likely know your speed.
Can a police officer send you a ticket from just your licence plates?
Yes, a police officer has the ability to send a ticket to the registered owner of a vehicle that they detected speeding. However, it is much more likely that they will pull you over if they intend to give you a ticket.
While it is unlikely for a police officer to send you a ticket when they are in the process of doing something else, there are specific speed traps set up in some jurisdictions that will send tickets to the licensed owner. These speed traps can be unmanned photo radar or manned photo radar.
Note: While you may be able to get a speeding ticket in the mail (if you’re the registered owner), you will not get any demerit points taken off your licence unless an officer is able to determine that it is you behind the wheel.
Can a police car catch you speeding from behind?
Yes, with the aforementioned front and rear-mounted radar units a police car has the capability to know your exact speed when they are behind you. Not only do they have radar units to tell the precise speed, but it is much more likely for a police officer to notice and be aware of the general speed of a vehicle directly in front of them.