Speed-Trap Tipoff Tickets in Delaware Lead to ACLU Lawsuit

October 8, 2014

A town police department in Smyrna, Delaware, is facing a lawsuit over its ticket-writing policies after the Delaware American Civil Liberties Union said police wrongly ticketed a driver who flashed his headlights to warn fellow motorists of a speed trap.

The Delaware ACLU says the flashing-headlights ticket is one among several violations by the Smyrna Police Department, including an allegation that Smyrna police improperly arrested a man for cursing at an officer.

The News Journal of Wilmington reports that the ACLU filed a federal civil rights complaint on Monday. The group says that flashing lights to communicate to other drivers is a protected form of speech. The driver was ticketed with improper use of a turn signal.

Town officials declined comment to The News Journal.

Topics Lawsuits

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Latest Comments

  • October 10, 2014 at 8:45 am
    reality bites says:
    Scrapple on a roll? Only thing better is muskrat at Ernie Council's. Or whatever they call that Quonset hut nowadays...
  • October 9, 2014 at 4:34 pm
    stolen thunder says:
    Funny you should mention that because my uncle's sister's daughter got 2 tickets there...now who's up for some lunch next Tuesday?
  • October 9, 2014 at 4:23 pm
    reality bites says:
    I wonder. If someone flashed their lights when there WASN'T a speed trap for drivers going in the other direction, what percentage would slow down and simply assume that there... read more

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