Lidar

The Queensland Police Service use LIDAR devices for speed detection on a regular ‘anywhere, anytime’ basis. 

The devices are usually hand held and are commonly referred to as ‘speed guns’, but they can also be mounted on tripods.

LIDAR stands for – Light Detection And Ranging.  LIDARs employ laser technology to detect a target vehicle’s speed.

Because LIDAR devices operate on laser technology, the ‘beam’ used to calculate vehicles’ speeds is very compact, accurate and not readily interfered with.  It can be used to accurately measure the speed of a single vehicle travelling in a line of traffic.

The LIDAR devices currently used in Queensland measure the speed of a target vehicle, as well as the range at which the speed measurement was taken.  The unit gives accurate speed measurements of vehicles travelling both towards and away from the unit, at distances of up to one kilometre away.

In order for the LIDAR unit to give a reading to the operator, the operator must have a clear line of sight to the target and a steady hand. 

As each pull of the trigger actually results in numerous laser ‘pulses’ to the target, each checking and verifying the speed of the target vehicle, any inconsistency caused by other objects moving in front of the target or movement of the device will result in no reading being obtained.
 
LIDAR units are required under Australian Standards to be tested, certified and sealed at least every 12 months.

Further to this, all LIDAR units are required to undergo the following checks before each deployment:

• Physical check
• Internal Circuit check
• Display check
• Sight alignment
• Range or Distance check

Similarly to RADAR devices, the RACQ believes that police officers should be able to justify their use of LIDAR devices through one or more of the following reasons:

• A history of traffic incidents occurring in the area
• Public complaints of speeding vehicles
• Officers having previously observed offences in the area
• An imminent threat to the safety of road users or road workers due to speeding vehicles