Sep xxx, 2019 | Read Time: 5 minutes

How does Maryland's speed camera law work?  Are speed cameras legal in Maryland?  Can you challenge speed camera tickets?

Similar it or non, speed cameras are a reality. And they are making a LOT of coin for state and local government, so they aren't going anywhere presently.

If you lot drive, y'all need to read this post.

Nosotros will explicate how the speed camera law works and what limits are placed on their utilise.

We will also tell you where the cameras are located, whether or not they are legal, and explicate how you can challenge a speed photographic camera ticket if you get one in mistake.

Background on Maryland's Speed Camera Law

Maryland was one of the early adopters of using speed cameras. Now they are one of the national leaders. (Lucky united states.) The first law allowed speed cameras in work zones. At present they are allowed in schoolhouse zones too.

They are operated by your county or municipal authorities. Your local jurisdiction has to pass a law allowing for speed cameras. They are heavily used in Prince George's County and Montgomery County. Charles County has speed cameras – generally in school zones. Calvert County has them. As far as I can tell, St. Mary's County does not.

Maryland made $62 million in speed camera revenue in 2017. Most of that (76%) was from Prince George's County & Montgomery County. If you lot live in Southern Maryland, you will have to drive through a bunch of Prince George's County speed zones on your manner to DC.

Past the manner, DC is worse than Maryland! They issued nearly 1 million tickets in 2016 – worth $99 million in acquirement!

How Maryland's Speed Camera Law Works

Here are some key points about speed cameras:

  • Speed cameras are allowed in (a) work zones, (b) school zones, or (c) one of the other special areas immune by police – similar Rte 210 in Prince George's Canton or residential areas in Montgomery County.
  • Y'all must exist going at least 12 miles per 60 minutes over the posted speed limit to get a ticket.
  • The punishment is $xl, and in that location are no points on your license. (Red light camera tickets are $75 per and no points.)
  • There must exist a sign alert you of cameras in use, and the sign must besides notify you of the posted speed limit. The signs accept to exist "conspicuous."

  • Definition of School Zones: These must be inside 1/2 mile of a school.
  • Definition of Piece of work Zones: These are only immune in a piece of work zone on a limited admission highway with a speed limit over 45 mph.
  • Hours of Operation:
    • For school zones, they simply operate Monday – Fri from half-dozen am to 8 pm.
    • For work zones, they can operate whatever time of day, and whether piece of work is taking place or not.
  • Notice of Locations:
    • For schoolhouse zones, the local jurisdiction must publish the location on their website, and in a local paper. These are the links to your local jurisdictions:
      • Prince George's County Speed Zone locations.
      • Charles Canton Speed Zone locations.
      • Calvert County Speed Zone locations.
    • For piece of work zones, the locations are published on the "Prophylactic Zones" website.
  • Review by Police Officer: For schoolhouse zone tickets, they must exist personally reviewed by a sworn police officeholder earlier they get sent out.

Hither is a master page for more data and links almost Maryland's speed camera laws.

And if you want to read the full statute, it is found at section 21-809 of the Transportation Article – available via the Maryland Courts folio constitute hither.

How to Challenge a Speed Camera Ticket in Maryland

So far, the speed cameras are legal and constitutional.  Nobody has challenged them every bit existence unconstitutional yet, at least not that I know about.

Nonetheless, you can challenge a speed camera ticket by claiming you are innocent.

If you were not the one driving, you must provide a sworn argument that yous were not driving the vehicle, forth with corroborating evidence. For details, run across the State highway Administrations FAQ page at roads.maryland.gov. Choose the FAQ about work zone cameras since it has more than detailed information.

Yous can as well run into this website of a non-profit dedicated to fighting speed cameras – Maryland Commuter's Brotherhood. They have a lot of smashing information about fighting these tickets and getting the law changed.

Y'all can also request a trial in Commune Court, just as you tin with whatever speed ticket. There is a form at the bottom of your citation which tells y'all what to do if you want a trial.

You will accept to show upwards in Court with show of your innocence. I practise non know of many who have been successful at this defense, and about people don't remember it is worth $40 to contest a ticket.

Can I Just Ignore a Speed Camera Ticket?

This is a bad idea. If you don't pay the fine, information technology will be a major headache.  Your registration will be suspended, additional fines and penalties will be imposed, and the Country Central Collection Unit will come subsequently you.

Believe me, you do not want to neglect to pay one of these tickets no matter how angry it makes y'all.

My Opinion on Speed Cameras

I don't like speed cameras on general principles. I recall they amount to a user tax on the highway arrangement. They don't take into business relationship things like other traffic effectually you lot, conditions conditions, and other things that bear on the real world safety of the moment.

Merely different regular speeding tickets issued randomly by law anywhere (which don't do annihilation to actually tedious anyone down), it is difficult to argue that speed cameras in specific places (like school zones) don't work. They do slow people down, mostly because of the sign warning you it is in that location.

It is also true that $40 is not horribly painful on the average person, and information technology is much less punitive than those $100+ Washington DC speed photographic camera tickets you can get. I practise hate those with a passion.

I would like to see improve signage before a speed camera in a schoolhouse zone. The purpose is to brand people slow down in a schoolhouse or work zone, not play "gotcha" and fine the citizens. A bigger sign would serve that purpose, as well as serve to warn you of the upcoming danger and so y'all have merely yourself to blame if yous are forced to brand a "contribution" to your local government.

Next Steps

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Demand a criminal defense attorney?Delight contact the states for a consultation today if you need an experienced criminal defence force lawyer in Waldorf and Lexington Park for your criminal charge.

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