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Avoiding a speeding ticket: There's an app for that

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HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -

AAA predicts more than 40-million Americans will travel 50 miles or more to celebrate Thanksgiving.

A new app claims it can help you get from point a to point b quickly, without having to worry about a speeding ticket.

According to police, a quick flash of the headlines is a universal sign of an upcoming speed trap. But like so many other things, that flash of the lights has made the switch to your smart phone.

Trapster is an application available on both the Apple and Android markets. It's free to download, and it lets users alert other drivers about upcoming speed traps.

The app sends out alerts, but also provides a map with visual signs and markers. It uses a smart phone's GPS to track a vehicle's movements.

The app developer claims it adds thousands of new users and new sets of eyes on the road daily. Some of those people have gone as far as posting YouTube videos, putting the app to the test.

Alabama State Trooper Curtis Summerville said law enforcement is aware of the new technology. He admitted people are trying to outsmart the law, and this is another example. He added it's not illegal to download, but he doesn't want to see users distracted by it either.

"You're looking down so you're not looking where you're going," said Summerville.

The trooper is also skeptical Trapster can really get you out of a ticket.

"Here's the thing about apps, they're electronic devices. They can't solely give you an indication as to where police officers might be because we have so many different means and so many different tools at our disposal," said Summerville.

Despite the warning, the app already boasts more than 17-million users.

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