Friday, September 18, 2020

Defective Speedometer versus Speeding Tickets

 

https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/authorized/how-do-i-get-out-of-a-speedometer-violation--4984935.html?answered=true 

How do I get out of a speedometer violation?  I got stopped for speeding, at the time I didn't know I was speeding, my speedometer read the speed limit. The officer understood and gave me a speedometer violation instead. This still carries 2 points off an incense. I can't afford the insurance from the lost of points. I replaced the speed sensors in my car also. Is there any way I can get out of this?   1 attorney answer

Jay K. Nixon, Licensed for 40 years, Avvo Rating: 10 Criminal/traffic Defense Attorney in Janesville & Kenosha, WI

Defective speedometer is not a moving violation, but instead a non-moving equipment violation. It’s only two demerit points with the DMV, so you might consider whether you really want to fight it. An experienced traffic lawyer might beat it at trial, but do you really want to try? The prosecutor might consider amending the charge back to speeding, of which you were apparently guilty. Unfortunately, there is no requirement that you were deliberately speeding, since doing so by accident or mistake (due to your own faulty equipment) is not a defense to the charge. Minor infractions like lower level traffic are more regulatory that punitive, with lower penalties, so the traditional need to prove evil intent is absent. Sorry for the legalese, but defective equipment is "malum prohibitum," rather than "malum en se," meaning prohibited for regulatory purposes, rather inherently evil like murder or child abuse. One the other hand, for something like murder, an honest accident or mistake is actually a defense in criminal murder prosecution by the government (but not a defense in a private civil negligence/personal injury lawsuit for “wrongful death” in a car accident, for example).

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