For most people the need to avoid a ticket is enough of a reason to slow down and (mostly) obey the speed limits. For the rest of the population, however, the need to go increasingly faster has prompted the purchasing of radar jammers. While the use of these devises can seem to be a no-brainer, there are some things to know before purchasing one.

It's best to check with your state about if a passive radar jammer is legal where you live. If it is, you may want to check which models and manufacturers are acceptable and which are not.

Radar Jammers can be purchased through online dealers. Because of the legality issues involved with owning and operating them, they can be expensive. Most models run around $1,500.00 each, this is for an active jammer as opposed to a less expensive, less dependable passive jammer.

This is a good time to think about the debate of whether a passive jammer for radar detectors actually works or not. While passive and active jammers themselves send signals back to a police radar detector and can jam up the signal that it receives, a passive jammer needs to be very close to accomplish this. For example, a police detector can be upwards of 1,000 feet away from your vehicle and accurately measure how fast you are driving. While your passive radar jammer can scramble that signal, it would need to be about 100 feet away to work. An active jammer does the job better and does not need to be as close as a passive jammer, but is the one what is illegal to own. Keep this in mind when looking for a radar jammer to purchase.

If you are contemplating the purchase of an active radar jammer for your vehicle, you should know that they are illegal and have been banned by the federal government since December of 1977. The FCC has banned the use and the sale of these devices and the consequences for repeatedly and willfully using them can be steep. Per the FCC, you could be fined as much as $11,000 per violation (with a maximum amount of $75,000) and you could be sent to jail.