Pennsylvania local police have a problem: They can pull over speeding drivers, but they cannot use speed radar.<\/p>\n
That could change under a bill now before lawmakers. The measure would give local police another way to catch speeders. But it also raises a concern: How can the state make roads safer without using tickets to raise money?<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania is the only state that bars local police from using radar to enforce speed limits. Since 1961, only state troopers have been allowed to use the technology.<\/p>\n
Local officers must use other methods to check speeds. One option is a stopwatch. Officers time how long a vehicle takes to travel between two points to figure out how fast it is going.<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania bill would let local police use speed radar<\/p>\n
The Senate Transportation Committee has unanimously advanced a bill that would let local police use speed radar. But the bill also sets rules to keep enforcement focused on safety, not ticket money.<\/p>\n
Under the bill, drivers generally could not be convicted based on radar evidence if they were going less than 10 mph over the posted speed limit.<\/p>\n
On roads with speed limits above 55 mph, that cutoff would drop to 6 mph over the limit.<\/p>\n
There are limits on when radar evidence can support a conviction. They do not give permission to speed. Drivers must still follow the posted speed limit.<\/p>\n
The rules would be different in school zones and active work zones.<\/p>\n
Bill sets limits on speed radar use<\/p>\n
SB509 also addresses a key concern: Could speed radar become a way for police departments to bring in more money?<\/p>\n
Sen. Greg Rothman, R-Mechanicsburg, added several rules to address that concern. The bill would ban ticket quotas and bar police from using radar mainly to raise money.<\/p>\n
For the first 90 days, local police would have to issue written warnings instead of tickets based on radar enforcement.<\/p>\n
Officers could use radar only from clearly marked law enforcement vehicles.<\/p>\n
The bill would also limit how much money departments could keep from speeding tickets. Revenue could not exceed what the department collected from speed enforcement the year before. Any money above that limit would go to the state\u2019s Motor License Fund.<\/p>\n
These rules are meant to keep the focus on safer roads, not more tickets. But questions remain about how the rules would be enforced and who would make sure police departments follow them.<\/p>\n
Rothman said speeding is costing lives in Pennsylvania communities.<\/p>\n
Local officers are working to protect the public, he said, but they need the right tools. Radar could help them spot dangerous drivers.<\/p>\n
Under SB509<\/a>, a town or city would also have to pass an ordinance before its police could use radar. The Delaware River Port Authority would be allowed to use the technology, too.<\/p>\n The bill now awaits further action in the Senate.<\/p>\n Speed radar debate centers on safety and revenue<\/p>\n Pennsylvania State Police officials say radar is the most effective and accurate tool for controlling speed.<\/p>\n But some groups worry that giving local police access to radar could lead to more tickets and higher revenue for police departments.<\/p>\n The National Motorists Association says speed limits should match how drivers normally travel when traffic is moving freely.<\/p>\n The group supports the \u201c85th percentile\u201d speed rule. Under that approach, speed limits are based on how fast 85% of drivers travel in free-flowing traffic.<\/p>\n The debate comes down to two questions: Can radar help police catch dangerous speeding? And how can the state keep ticketing focused on safety instead of money?<\/p>\n The bill includes rules meant to address those concerns. But how those rules are enforced could shape whether drivers see radar as a safety tool or a way to raise money.<\/p>\n Another bill targets ticket quotas<\/p>\n A related House bill would take aim at ticket quotas.<\/p>\n