Swift penalties may follow speeding or reckless driving charges—including fines, demerit points, license suspension, or a spotted criminal record. However, an attorney may be able to defend you, working to get your charges lowered or dismissed using a speedometer calibration report. So it’s important you understand what it is and how it may be helpful in your case.
What Is a Speedometer Calibration?
Though drivers rely on speedometers to regulate their speeds and obey limits, it’s possible the mechanism displays the incorrect speed—and a speedometer calibration can reveal any inaccuracies. This process involves assessing the exactness of your vehicle’s speedometer by checking its mechanical and electrical components.
Any reputable mechanic who records results properly and can produce a valid report may run a speedometer calibration on your vehicle. Though it costs about $75 and lasts about an hour, obtaining a calibration report could help your defense.
A Calibration Report Could Help or Hurt Your Case
It’s not uncommon to learn that a speedometer is off by a few miles per hour (MPH). However, discovering that you have an inaccurate speedometer could either hurt or help your case—depending on if it’s high or low.
When your speedometer is low, it could help you. Here’s a hypothetical example:
- The driver is accused of traveling 57 MPH in a 35 MPH zone.
- He obtains a speedometer calibration report showing it’s off by 5 MPH.
- The judge on his case agrees to reduce the official speed to 52 MPH.
Though, in this scenario, the driver will still face consequences for speeding, the penalties could be much less severe than what he would have faced on a reckless driving charge.
When your speedometer is high, a calibration report could have the opposite effect. However, if you obtain a report showing your speedometer runs high, you are not required to use it in court. Additionally, a speedometer report could return results showing that your speedometer is virtually accurate. If you know that you weren’t speeding, these results may help you.
More Questions? Speak With an Attorney Today
If you’ve recently been hit with a speeding or reckless driving charge, you may have complicated questions. The legal team at Tavss Fletcher has answers for you, and we can review your case, advise you of your options and whether a calibration report could be helpful, and defend you against these charges. To get started and speak with a knowledgeable attorney, fill out the online contact form on our website today.
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