Why Buy a Radar Detector?

The top performers in our review are Escort Max 360, the Gold Award winner; Escort Passport Max2, the Silver Award winner; and Escort Passport 9500ix, the Bronze Award winner. Here's more on choosing a system to meet your needs, along with detail on how we arrived at our ranking of 10 radar detectors.

Driving is dangerous. When you step into your motor vehicle, you put yourself in control of a metal box on wheels that carries a tank of flammable liquid and an engine capable of turning you into a missile. The faster you drive, the less control you have over your vehicle. And few things are as irresponsible and dangerous as distracted and impaired driving.

When you consider the fact that you share the road with over 200 million other drivers, it's no wonder that people get hurt – From 2005 to 2014, there was an average of 35, 567 fatalities on U.S. roads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Some people who want a radar detector are looking for a way of gaming the system, to drive "under" the radar, so to speak. They look at a radar detector as giving them the license to speed when the fuzz aren't looking. Others might look at radar detectors as a way of avoiding expensive tickets while on a long road trip or a long commute. Whether admitted or not, some small towns are infamous for setting up speed traps for tourists just driving through. These tickets can be costly, especially if you live out of state, which makes you less likely to fight the ticket.

At Top Ten Reviews, we don't condone reckless, distracted driving. As such, our comparative review focuses on how radar detectors are tools for safe driving. The best radar detectors keep you aware of your surroundings on the road. The act of operating a moving two-ton box can become so routine that it's easy to become distracted with other things. You listen to talk radio, sing along to music, listen to an audiobook, gossip with a passenger, talk on the phone and more – all while driving. (Hopefully, you never text either.) Distractions happen. It's easy to forget basic traffic laws, like driving the posted speed limit or stopping completely at a stop sign.

The best radar detectors make you a safer driver. Every alert you receive makes you consider how you're driving, even false-alerts, because the alert reminds you why you bought the radar detector in the first place – to avoid costly tickets. Alerts force you to consider your speed and the distance between you and the cars also on the road. Alerts keep you from getting too distracted and complacent. Some radar detectors can alert you to when you've exceeded the posted speed limit. Most radar detectors will alert you to emergency vehicles and reported road hazards that you're nearing so you can adjust your driving appropriately.

Police Radar: What Is the Purpose?

Traffic laws exist for a reason. With so many vehicles sharing the road, non-verbal communication between drivers is critical. This is why all motor vehicles have to turn signals and brake lights. It's also why prospective drivers are required to take a test to prove that they know and understand traffic laws.