What’s Your Trick for Avoiding Speed Traps? | Carscoops

      Share with us the tools you use to evade tickets in an environment filled with speed traps and cameras.

       August 30, 2025, at 17:05

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       by Stephen Rivers

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      Radar, lidar, and app-based solutions like Waze continue to be popular methods for avoiding speed traps.

      Google Maps includes real-time police location data sourced from Waze’s community reports.

      Highway Radar provides sophisticated tracking, utilizing police scanners and aerial enforcement.

      Speeding tickets have created a long-standing cat-and-mouse dynamic on public roads. Drivers seek strategies to evade detection while law enforcement constantly develops new tools to apprehend them. Our daily question is straightforward: what do you depend on when identifying speed traps?

      

      

      Radar detectors are the most obvious first choice. They have a long-standing reputation for detecting police radar guns before they can issue a citation. However, technology has progressed. A notable example is lidar detectors, which can identify the focused beams that law enforcement frequently utilizes today.

      Community-driven navigation

      Another option is the community-based approach: Waze. Although not available globally, millions of drivers rely on it daily to report police locations, speed traps, hazards, and more, making it one of the most widely used tools to avoid tickets.

      Most people may not be aware that Google Maps is directly linked to Waze data, meaning that even without the Waze app, Maps can display real-time community-reported police information.

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      The app landscape doesn’t end there. Another lesser-known option is Highway Radar, which combines real-time user inputs, police scanner information, and tracking for aircraft speed enforcement. It’s a relatively obscure yet very effective system even for those lacking a radar or lidar detector.

      Additionally, some individuals take a more aggressive approach by installing radar and lidar jammers. Brands such as AL Priority have been industry leaders for years, although new competitors are emerging. While illegal in many states, these devices can be somewhat effective. Naturally, other countermeasures also have their limitations.

      Limits of every tool

      

      

      It’s important to note that both Waze and Google Maps are only useful if a sufficient number of people are reporting. Similarly, Highway Radar relies on various data sources and may fail when someone loses signal (ask me how I know…). Nonetheless, numerous drivers vouch for their preferred setups, while others mix the aforementioned tools for optimal results.

      We want to hear from you. Do you prefer a traditional radar detector? Do you exclusively use community-driven apps like Waze? Or have you fully equipped yourself with detectors, jammers, and third-party apps like Highway Radar to prevent speeding tickets? Share your configurations, success stories, and even instances where you've been caught.

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      Credit: Highway Radar / Valentine One / AL Priority