Are Radar Detectors Legal in North Carolina?

If you are going to take a long road trip or you are just interested in buying a new radar detector, it is important that you know about the laws surrounding them. This can get a little bit confusing, so it definitely pays to learn all you can. These devices are used by many people through the U.S., and they can be extremely useful when it comes to knowing where police cars are relative to your location when driving. The more you learn about the legality of radar detectors, the better protected you will be.

How Radar Detectors Work

The first radar detector was manufactured back in the 1970s, but they have evolved quite a bit since then. These devices are designed to detect the signal that is given off by the radar guns that police officers tend to use. They identify the radio waves that are emitted by radar guns, which can vary quite a bit. You will hear different noises from the radar detector in your vehicle depending on the source of the radio waves. Most of the time you should be able to instantly know if the radar detector has picked up radar gun from a police car as opposed to something else.

Why Buy a Radar Detector?

Most people purchase radar detectors as a way of minimizing their chances of getting traffic tickets, which can cost a lot of money and put points on your license. If you want to avoid getting pulled over in the future, you should at least think about getting one of these devices for your vehicle. There are many different radar detectors available, so you will need to spend some time reviewing your options. One of the great things about these devices is that it’s easy to find a decent one for a relatively low price.

There are numerous features that radar detectors have to offer, including city mode, voice alerts and 360-laser detection. The more features a radar detector has, the more expensive it is likely to be. You don’t necessarily need all the bells and whistles, but they are certainly nice to have. If you want to reduce your risk of getting pulled over and receiving a ticket, it’s imperative that you look for a good radar detector with solid overall performance.

States Where Radar Detectors Are Banned

Radar detectors are currently banned altogether in Virginia as well as the District of Columbia, Washington D.C. In these two parts of the country it is completely illegal to use a radar detector in either a passenger or commercial vehicle. If you already have a radar detector and are planning on traveling through one or both of these states, it’s important you are aware of the current laws. The last thing you want to do is get caught with a radar detector in either state, because you will be facing a massive fine.

Radar Detector Laws in North Carolina

For those who live in North Carolina or plan on traveling through for whatever reason, you will certainly want to know what the laws are pertaining to radar detectors if you have one. In this state radar detectors are legal for use in passenger vehicles only, but not commercial vehicles. If you are caught using a radar detector in a commercial vehicle like a semi-truck, you will be required to pay a fairly steep fine.

Getting Caught with a Radar Detector

Those who live in North Carolina and illegally use a radar detector in a commercial vehicle will want to think twice. Police officers have ways of identifying which vehicles use these devices, so the chances of getting caught are fairly high. All it takes to get caught is passing a parked police car on the side of the road while driving down the highway. The fine that you will end up paying is simply not worth it.

There is no question that radar detectors can be a huge convenience for those who live in North Carolina and any other part of the country, but you need to be aware of the laws surrounding them. If you live in NC you can use a radar detector, unless you are operating a commercial vehicle of some kind.