Speeding Cameras Maryland
Speeding cameras in Maryland provide police with another tool to protect pedestrians. Learn the laws around this topic from an experienced criminal lawyer.
Speeding Camera Tickets MD
There are speed cameras throughout every Maryland county. Under Maryland law, these cameras can only be used in school zones and residential areas where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less.
While Maryland speed cameras are intended to reduce speed in high-risk areas, they could also capture speeding individuals and their vehicles, allowing police officers to produce speeding citations.
Therefore, speed cameras are photo enforcement units that produce recorded images of vehicles traveling at speeds above the defined threshold.
Do You Have to Pay Camera Speeding Tickets in Maryland?
Even though citations are typically considered minor offenses, they can also include fines and a court date. Ignoring them can be a bad idea. Not paying the ticket can result in your registration being suspended, or you might have to pay additional fines.
It’s much better to hire a traffic lawyer in Maryland like Morgan E. Leigh of Scrofano Law, who can handle the ticket on your behalf and protect your rights throughout the case.
Are Speeding Cameras Legal?
Yes, speed cameras in Maryland are legal. Aside from detecting speeding violations, speed cameras are used to detect violations such as running red lights, driving through toll booths without paying, and several other traffic violations.
Maryland law allowing speed cameras in work zones became effective in 2009. At almost the same time, the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Maryland State Police, and the Maryland State Highway Administration began a pilot automated speed enforcement program called “Maryland Safe Zones.”
The first idea of the pilot program was to use speed cameras within the limits of any work zone on expressways and controlled access highways. After a while, cameras were used in school zones too.
In addition to these zones, cameras are also allowed in other specified areas designated by the law, including Rte 210 in Prince George’s County and certain residential areas in Montgomery County.
How Does a Speed Camera Work?
Speed cameras automatically capture a vehicle’s photo when it drives more than 12 mph over the posted limit. The recorded photograph includes the date, time, and location of the speeding violation, as well as the vehicle speed and the license plates of the vehicle.
A police officer will review the photograph taken by the speed camera and then identify the vehicle’s registered owner using the license plate number. After that, a speeding driver will receive their citations by mail, with a violation photograph and the vehicle’s speed.
How Many Speeding Cameras Are Located in Maryland?
Speed cameras are located throughout the state. Speed cameras are often placed on dangerous roadways and places with a high risk of speeding drivers.
Under Maryland law, a speed camera can also be used within half a mile of a school. Their hours of operation in a school zone are Monday to Friday, from 6 AM to 8 PM. The local government must notify the public where speed cameras are located on their website and in a local newspaper.
Work zone camera locations can be checked on the Safe Zones website. Speed cameras are allowed in a work zone on a limited access highway with a speed limit of over 45 miles per hour. They can operate the whole day, regardless of whether work is taking place or not.
Dealing with Speed Camera Tickets
Although the speed camera system is generally a good idea, it has certain flaws. Firstly, speed cameras can malfunction, resulting in the drivers receiving speed camera tickets even though they were not speeding.
Sometimes, the vehicles’ registered owners were not driving the vehicle when a speed camera caught it speeding. If that is the case, the driver must prove their innocence by providing evidence such as a sworn statement from their employer stating that they were at work at the time of the violation.
Contesting tickets is done by appearing at a hearing at the various Maryland District Courts, which can be intimidating for some people.
Having a criminal lawyer request a hearing and context your tickets on your behalf wouldn’t be a bad idea. An attorney who is experienced with the court system will know which arguments to make to the judge and what types of evidence are likely to mitigate the violation or dismiss the citation altogether.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Penalty for a Speed Camera Ticket?
This speeding infraction carries a $40 fine.
What Are My Options After Receiving a Speed Camera Ticket?
When an individual receives the ticket, they have two choices: to pay the ticket or to contest it at one of the Maryland District Courts. For vehicles registered in Maryland, citations are mailed up to 14 days after the violation.
If the speeding driver paid for the citation, they don’t have to sign anything on it. But, those speeding drivers who would like to contest their tickets have to complete the request form at the bottom of their citations, sign them, and mail them to:
Maryland SafeZones
P.O. Box 17648
Baltimore, MD 21297
Those who contested their tickets, but are not satisfied with the decision of the judge, have 30 days to appeal.
Do Speeding Camera Tickets Go On Your Record?
Since speed camera tickets are not criminal matters but civil violations, there will be no criminal ramifications. Consequently, these violations do not go on your record, and you will not have points assigned to your driver’s records.
The police department of the jurisdiction where the violation occurred will sign off on any citations sent to the registered owners.
However, if you have been accused of a serious traffic offense like drunk driving, having a skilled Maryland DUI lawyer on your side can help you keep your record clean and your driving privileges intact.
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