New Speed Enforcement Tech Hits Muskegon Roads

Catching speeders goes back to horses and carriages, but technology has changed drastically. New software is now catching speeders in Muskegon.

Evolution of Catching Speeders

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Before electronic speed‑measuring devices existed, law enforcement relied on manual techniques to stop speeding offenders. In the earliest days, officers once chased faster carriages while on bicycles.

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As automobiles began appearing on the roads, officers would position themselves along a stretch of roadway and use a stopwatch to measure how long a car took to travel between two predetermined points, calculating its speed to determine whether it was exceeding the limit.

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Police began using radar guns in 1947, and throughout the 1970s these devices enabled officers to accurately measure vehicle speeds and identify drivers who were exceeding the limit. As radar technology advanced, patrol cars were eventually equipped with moving radar systems that allowed officers to clock the speed of oncoming vehicles while in motion.

Since the 1990s, law enforcement has used laser technology, digital speed-detection tools, and automated cameras to identify and ticket drivers who exceed the speed limit. Artificial intelligence is poised to transform the way police detect and catch speeding drivers.

Got a Ticket? Muskegon’s New System Could Be Why

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According to FOX17, the Muskegon police department is now using a new software system called Urban SDK, to monitor vehicle speeds across the city, giving officers detailed information on where and when speeding is most frequent so they can better target enforcement efforts.

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The Urban SDK software analyzes data to pinpoint areas with a higher risk of accidents. Once it identifies the locations where speeding is most frequent, officers are deployed to enforce speed limits, helping to manage the problem and even prevent potential crashes.