North Carolina RADAR State Practice Exam

What is necessary for identifying the driver in a speed offense case?

1. Only the license plate number

2. An immediate visual identification by the officer

3. A witness statement

4. Video evidence from the incident

The correct answer is: An immediate visual identification by the officer

In speed offense cases, an immediate visual identification by a law enforcement officer is crucial because it provides a direct and immediate account of the situation. The officer's observation at the time of the alleged offense carries significant weight in establishing who was driving the vehicle. This firsthand identification can help corroborate other evidence, like speed measurements taken by radar or lidar. While the other choices might contribute to the overall understanding of the event—such as witness statements, video evidence, or the license plate number—they may not be sufficient on their own to identify the driver conclusively. For instance, a license plate number can lead to identifying the vehicle's registered owner but does not confirm who was driving at the time of the offense. Similarly, while witnesses can provide information, their statements may lack the certainty of an officer's immediate observation, which is often deemed more credible in legal contexts.