SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Spotting speed traps has joined social networking with a Web site called Trapster, Sacramento television station KCRA reported.

Pete Tenereillo, a programmer in Carlsbad who developed Trapster, described it as "a social network for sharing information about police speed traps."

"Think of it as Facebook meets radar detectors, and throw in a little bit of eBay ratings," he said.

Users report speed traps using their mobile phones or computers, and Trapster lets other users receive real-time warnings.

"It is a simple message. Everybody has the problem, and it's useful in saving money, and it's free," Tenereillo said.

Trapster sends warnings for speed traps, shows typical hiding spots of law enforcement and lays out traffic lights that have photo surveillance. There are plans to use the month-old service in TomToms, Garmins and other GPS mapping devices.

Trucker Reese Lawhon got stopped for going too fast in a usual spot that the California Highway Patrol monitors traffic. The location is listed as a hot spot on Trapster.

"I don't want to get a ticket, and I do not want to cause an accident because of my speeding," Lawhon said.

The CHP said it's not too worried about the technology -- officials are just happy that drivers are slowing down.

"Getting everyone to slow down is our No. 1 goal. Traffic safety is everything, avoiding those collisions. So it can only help in that situation," CHP Officer Adam Roha said.

Not only does the technology get drivers to slow down, the CHP said, but it shows that officers are a presence in the area.

The only concern is making sure motorists focus on the road and not their mobile phones.

"I have seen how it works, and some of the hands free-features are good, but as far as moving your attention from the driving to the cell phone may be a concern. It depends on how the person uses it," Roha said.