If you have ever been pulled over for traveling above the speed limit then you know how important a radar detector can be. These tiny devices can greatly reduce your chance of getting pulled over for speeding but do you know how they work? It is one of the technological advances that we seem to take for granted. Most of us have no clue beyond plugging them into the cigarette lighter and mounting them on the dashboard.

These answers and questions will cover the basics of radar detectors and hopefully by the end you will have some idea of why a radar detector can mean the difference between a speeding ticket and getting to keep your money and your insurance rates low.

What is a LIDAR? LIDAR is a new speed detection method used by police officers. It is a pulsed laser light that can target a vehicle up to 3000 feet away and specifically target one vehicle out of several. It does not have the broad range of feet that a radar gun has as it only expands up to six feet. A radar detector may not be able to pick up the LIDAR beam due to the fact that police officers will target the grill or center mass of the moving vehicle. Radar detectors are mounted on the dash board and may not pick up the focused energy beam.

What is a radar detector? A radar detector is a device that measures the radio waves bounced off your vehicle. Police officers use a radar gun that gives off radio waves. When the waves hit your vehicle they are returned to the gun to determine how fast you are going. The radar detector measures these waves and alerts you to the presence of someone using a radar gun to detect your speed.

What is a radar jammer? A radar jammer is a device that will scramble the radar waves and the LIDAR that are aimed at the vehicle. It is important to know that radar jamming is illegal in the United States and if you get caught with a radar jammer you are facing a fine and possible felony conviction for using one. It is definitely not worth the risk to own one.

What are some brands of radar detectors? There are several different brands of radar detectors on the market currently. You can choose from a Beltronics BEL RX54 radar detector or you can go with the Whistler XTR-690 Radar/Laser Detector. The choice is up to you and it may come down to what guarantees the company offers along with the price.

Is there a guarantee that I won't get a speeding ticket if I use a radar detector from a certain company? There are companies that will guarantee that if you purchase their radar detector and still receive a ticket within a year, they will pay for the cost of the ticket. This guarantee is not offered by every company so you will need to check the fine print before you purchase one if this is something that you are looking for in a radar detection company. The company may also have some fine print about paying for the ticket so read, read, read the instructions and guarantee before purchasing.