The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says motorists will see a "significant state patrol" presence on highways around the state through the end of the year. The beefed-up patrol will target aggressive drivers and speeders as part of the Highway Enforcement for Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) program.

 

The smartest way to avoid a speeding ticket or worse is to obey the speed limit. But since that announcement was made earlier this month, we've had several people reach out to ask whether or not radar detectors are legal in Minnesota.

Increased Patrol On Minnesota Highways Through 2022

Col. Matt Langer, chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, said the HEAT program is working and Minnesota motorists are safer because of it.

“Our HEAT patrols are working. Fatalities are down nearly 10 percent from this time last year, but we’re still seeing too many deadly crashes and too many people driving dangerously, We’ve heard from Minnesotans that they want to see us on the roads and they want us to stop aggressive drivers. Through these patrols around the state, our troopers can do just that.”

Are Radar Detectors Legal In Minnesota?

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MnDOT
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Sgt. Jacalyn Sticha Minnesota State Patrol told the Mankato Free Press that people with radar detection devices are often the ones ticketed the most.

My experience has shown that motorists who use radar detectors may be stopped more frequently and possibly may have lengthier driving records. A false sense of security, initially, has them speeding more often and at higher rates.

Radar detectors are legal in private vehicles in Minnesota, but you could still get ticketed for having one, even if you aren't speeding.

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You Can Get Ticketed For Having a Radar Detector in Minnesota

Minnesota State Patrol/Facebook
Minnesota State Patrol/Facebook
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Jesse Grabow with the Minnesota State Patrol says people should use common sense instead of electronic devices.

Grabow told the Echo Press, "State law prohibits any objects suspended between the driver and windshield, other than sun visors, rearview mirrors, global positioning systems or navigation systems when mounted or located near the bottom-most portion of the windshield; and electronic toll collection devices. So mounting it to the windshield would be illegal."

Radar jammers are different than detectors and are illegal.

Minnesota law says, "No person shall sell, offer for sale, use, or possess any radar jammer in this state."

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