Research Suggests Third Of Speed Gun Convictions Wrong

New research has suggested that almost a third of readings from speed guns are wrong. The findings mean that thousands may have wrongly received licence points, had to pay higher motor insurance premiums, or even lost their licences over faulty equipment.

Researchers testing the handheld radar devices found that nearly one in every three cars travelling at 30mph was wrongly clocked. In some cases the guns were out by as much as 20mph.

A motor insurance consultant said that the results could be impaired because of hand movements while using a speed gun. Even minute movements could trick the gun into recording a parked car travelling at speed, he said.

Police have dismissed the research saying that it was carried out on US equipment that lacks the failsafe software use by British speed patrols.

"The UK version has different error-trapping software contained within it, and it has been subjected to Home Office type approval testing, recognised as the most stringent in the world, to ensure its accuracy," said a police spokesman.

"Offenders should be aware that if they decide to plead not guilty based on this study but are subsequently convicted, they are likely to get additional penalties imposed upon them by courts, in excess of the conditional offer of penalty they would have received," he added.

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