Yes, radar detectors are illegal in Virginia, and that’s just how it is. The laws regarding radar detectors are mainly up to the states to handle, and that’s why you see so much difference in rules regarding this particular thing across the country. Let’s understand it by going a bit in-depth and why it is made illegal.
What Is a Radar Detector and Why Do Drivers Use It?
A radar detector refers to a compact electronic gadget that motorists put in their cars to find out when police use radar or laser speed guns. It warns the driver when there is some speed monitoring device is planted by the authorities. A lot of people who drive own radar detectors mostly for being conscious of their speed and thus not getting speeding tickets.
Radar detectors are generally permitted by law for regular passenger vehicles in most states of the U.S. However, Virginia is a state that has a totally different set of laws in place, and that is where many drivers get puzzled.
Federal Law vs State Law: Who Makes the Rules?
It is a fact that federal law does not prohibit ownership of radar detectors by private passenger vehicles. The federal government generally lets the states decide on traffic laws.
Therefore, states are free to determine their own laws about radar detectors. Among them, Virginia is the one that has taken the initiative to implement one of the toughest laws in the country, and that is why a gadget which is legal in most states becomes illegal the moment you cross into Virginia.
Virginia Radar Detector Law: The Main Rule
The law in Virginia prohibits the use of devices in a vehicle that can interfere with or detect police radar or laser signals. It is illegal to have any equipment that can alert you to police radar signals, laser signals, or signals that interfere with speed measuring devices in your vehicle while operating it.
The regulation extends to radar detectors, laser detectors, and any other related gadgets. Virginia considers such devices to be a factor in dangerous driving and thus it has a stringent policy against the use of such instruments in comparison to most other states.
Owning vs Using a Radar Detector
Owning a radar detector in Virginia is not against the law. On the other hand, operating a radar detector while driving is not allowed. Nevertheless, the rules are not limited to just the usage aspect.
Once a radar detector is within the driver’s or any passenger’s reach, the police can still issue a fine. Whether the device is off, unplugged, or not functioning, it makes no difference. The mere presence of the device on the dashboard, the seat, or the glove box is enough to constitute a violation.
Turning It Off Is Not Enough
Several drivers wrongly assume that turning the device off is enough for it to be legal. In Virginia, however, that is not the case. Having the radar detector still visible inside the car might result in a ticket.
The most secure and legal way is to put the device completely out of reach, for example, in the trunk. When nobody in the car can get it while driving, you are then much less likely to have problems.
How Authorities Know If You Have A Radar Detector
Virginia officers can be equipped with so-called radar detector detectors. Such devices can pick up signals of radar detectors even if the device looks to be off.
Once the police have figured out that signal, they can order the driver to stop the vehicle on the basis of that only. It is not necessary that you are speeding for a police officer to pull you over.
