Got a speeding ticket? Maybe your phone can help | New York City ...

It's aggravating to get a speeding ticket when you aren't speeding. It may be even more aggravating to try to fight the ticket in traffic court where it will be your word against the word of the police officer.

Now, creators of a new phone app think they have found a solution to this problem. Their app, called TicketDefender, measures the speed of a moving car using GPS and cell-tower readings. The hope of the creators is that drivers will be able to bring the apps' print-outs to court as high-tech evidence of their actual speed at the time they were ticketed.

So far, the app hasn't been tested in a real-life traffic court situation, and no one, not even the apps' creators, are sure about what will happen when it is.

The rules of evidence apply in traffic court. According to a legal expert who discussed the app with WGO News, a driver who wants to get the app's data admitted into evidence will have to show that all the equipment, including the driver's phone and GPS, was working properly at the time it was used to record the car's speed.

Ron Heiskell, the engineer who developed TicketDefender -- stands strongly behind his technology.

"[T]his is a technology whose time has come," he said. "It's more accurate than what the police officers are using."

That may be, but drivers who want to be early adopters of the app -- which is already available for iPhones for $1.99 -- should know they are entering uncharted legal territory.

Stay tuned for more from our New York traffic law blog ...

If you or a loved one has received a speeding ticket or other traffic citation, don't just dismiss it. Instead, consider contacting an attorney who understands New York's confusing legal system, and who can help you evaluate your options and make the right decisions.

This post was provided for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as legal advice.

Source:

KGO-TV 7, "App could help you beat a speeding ticket," Michael Finney, May 17, 2012

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