Are speed traps legal in Texas highways? Here’s what state law says about the practice
Texas roadways are full of great sights, but there’s one that might not fit the bill: speed traps.
Merriam Webster defines a speed trap as, “A stretch of road policed by often concealed officers or devices, such as radar, so as to catch speeders.” Essentially, these are areas just off the roadway where police officers park and check motorist’s speeds.
But are speed traps actually legal in Texas? Here’s what we know:
What does Texas law say about speed traps?
There are no laws specifically outlawing speed traps in the Texas Transportation Code. Thus, speed traps are legal.
Many Texans may not agree with the legality of speed traps, but police and law enforcement agencies have reason to use them, according to Find Law. Commonly, speed traps are used to improve highway safety, reduce traffic accidents and generate revenue from speeding tickets.
Speed traps aren’t always easy to find but can generally be found around:
- Construction areas
- School zones
- Tourist areas
- Residential areas
- Roads with high accident rates
- Areas where the speed limit changes from higher to lower
Does Texas law enforcement set traffic ticket quotas?
Texas Transportation Code section 720.002, prohibits municipalities from setting or applying any type of traffic ticket quota.
The law states that municipalities may not “evaluate, promote, compensate or discipline” law enforcement officers for any type of traffic citation quota. The same law applies to judges for the amount of money they collect from traffic violations.
These laws are put in place to prevent speed traps and ticket quotas from being solely used to boost city budgets, according to Drive Safe Online.
Can you be arrested for speeding in Texas?
Nope, as long as the driver signs the speeding ticket and says they will appear in court at a later date.
Under Texas Transportation Code section 543.004, there are a few offenses where a police officer cannot arrest you:
- Speeding
- Texting and driving
- Having an open alcohol container
Drivers will likely be assigned a ticket from police for speeding, but they cannot be arrested because of it.
