Some states trim use of planes in speed traps

Posted at: 07/01/2012 12:17 PM
By: Associated Press | WHEC.com

Highway signs throughout the U.S. warn that when it comes to catching speeders, the long arm of the law extends even into the sky.
 
They say, "Speed limit enforced by aircraft."
 
But tighter budgets have led several states to scale back or eliminate the use of aircraft to enforce traffic laws.
 
The New York State Police say they haven't written a single ticket based on an aircraft observation since at least 2005.
 
The Virginia State Police have only flown six such missions since 2008.
 
There have also been cutbacks in places like California and Washington state.
 
Officials say there are cheaper ways to collar speeders.
 
Aerial traffic enforcement still has defenders in states like Ohio, where the highway patrol issued 16,000 tickets with the help of aircraft last year.

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