The Kent & Medway Safety Camera Partnership is advising drivers and car dealerships to check vehicles for laser jammer devices after a motorist who was unaware that one was fitted to his vehicle avoided a prosecution.
The device caused the Detling motorist’s Land Rover to trigger an ‘error’ reading on the screen in the safety camera van which uses the LTi2020 laser camera.
The video evidence was sent to a specialist provider (Road Safety Support) who determined that the driver was not speeding, however Kent Police officers then questioned the owner about the jammer who had recently purchased the vehicle from the Barretts of Ashford dealership.
PC Darren Chapman of Kent Police said: “On this occasion both the owner and dealership were unaware of the device and we have now traced the vehicle to a Land Rover factory, the vehicle was supplied by Land Rover to a Fleet Company who owned the vehicle for one year prior to it going back to Land Rover. Land Rover themselves were unaware of the device being fitted and investigations are ongoing.
“These devices are illegal and the person who fits such a device will be charged with Perverting the Course of Justice – potentially resulting in a prison sentence. We encourage motorists to check for these devices to ensure that they will not be liable.”
Laser jammers interfere with the function of the LTi2020 laser camera. Whether or not there is a speeding offence, if a jammer is detected then the owner will be traced and questioned.
The photos show the laser jammer device fitted to the front of the vehicle just above the number plate (this device jams the signal from the laser camera). Inside the vehicle will be a LED light and buzzer which activate when the vehicle is being targeted by a laser camera (this alerts the driver who can then slow down to the speed limit, before operating an on/off switch nearby - in this case under the steering column). The switch turns off the power to the laser jammer, then allowing the laser camera operator to target the vehicle and read the speed of the vehicle, however as the vehicle is now not speeding, then no offence will be detected.
