With its congestion, aggressive traffic enforcement and a plethora of ticket cameras, Chicago has a well-deserved reputation as a tough place to get around. But don’t let down your guard once you get out of the city; there are still plenty of hidden speed trap dangers throughout Illinois.
This information comes from the NMA’s National Speed Trap Exchange (http://www.speedtrap.org/), a unique website that gives drivers an opportunity to report on and exchange comments about predatory speed traps they have encountered on their travels.
Five Highest Activity Speed Trap Locations
1. Mound City: On I-57 just over the Kentucky border into Illinois
124 Reports 98% Acknowledgement Rate*
“Got a speeding ticket in construction zone which required court appearance. I live out of state so wasn’t surprised when the state trooper stopped only me even though whole group I was in was speeding. Called a local lawyer whose first question to me was ‘Is your ticket for speeding construction zone?’ He unofficially informed me, ‘Yeah, that area is a speed trap.’ I got my ticket in Dec. There was snow on the ground and no workmen anywhere in site. Lawyer told me, ‘Yeah they leave those signs up all year long, they won’t be working out there until March or April.’ What a scam!”
2. Tinley Park: 167th Street west of Harlem
91 Reports 98% Acknowledgement Rate
“167th Street between Harlem Ave. and 80th Ave is 25 miles per hour. Police often sit in the parking lot driveways of the townhomes or near the park and watch for anyone driving over 25mph. The municipal police car parked at the fire station on 167th and Parliament, is a decoy, and rarely if ever occupied.”
3. Palos Park: 131st Street between LaGrange Rd. (96th AVE) and 104th Ave
89 Reports 98% Acknowledgement Rate
“A recent speed limit reduction trap. Both Palos Park Police and Cook County Sheriff are preying on unsuspecting motorists in this recent speed limit reduction area. A drop from 45 mph to 30 mph. The cops hide in the Peace Memorial church lot and the medical building on the corner of 104th and 131st St. Palos Park police hide in the bank parking lot by the Jewel food store.”
4. Frankfort: Pfeiffer Road at railroad tracks just north of Sauk Trail
52 Reports 98% Acknowledgement Rate
“Car frequently sits in the parking lot on west side of Pfeiffer on the south side of the tracks.”
5. Morris: Lisbon Rd, between Rt. 6 and I-80
50 Reports 100% Acknowledgement Rate
“Coming south on Lisbon Rd, speed drops to 25 mph crossing I-80. There is a quarter mile downslope starting there, and you cannot do 25 mph without braking. An unmarked silver Explorer (aka: ‘The Silver Bullet’), sits facing north, shooting radar. It is a major money producer. 10 to 20 tickets a day, average.”
Ten Illinois Cities with Most Reported Speed Traps (for the Last Five Years)
| Rank | City | Number of Speed Traps | Acknowledgement Rate |
| 1 | Chicago | 27 | 98% |
| 2 | Naperville | 12 | 98% |
| 3 | Oswego | 10 | 94% |
| 4 | Campton Hills | 10 | 96% |
| 5 | Plainfield | 10 | 90% |
| 6 | South Elgin | 9 | 92% |
| 7 | Downers Grove | 9 | 86% |
| 8 | Frankfort | 8 | 88% |
| 9 | Pekin | 8 | 85% |
| 10 | La Grange | 7 | 82% |
* Acknowledgement rate is the percentage of yes votes to total votes by motorists indicating whether the reported locations, in their opinions, are actually speed traps. Data are available at the links provided.
About The National Speed Trap Exchange
With the development of The National Speed Trap Exchange (http://www.speedtrap.org/) more than 10 years ago, the National Motorists Association pioneered the use of interactive media to alert motorists to potential speed trap activity in their communities. Since then the site has reported on nearly 80,000 speed traps throughout the United States and Canada.
