Speeding fines to increase in Maryland
Slow down or pay. In Maryland, drivers who speed past automated cameras face higher fees, and the faster they speed, the bigger the hit to their wallets.
Scripps News – WMAR Baltimore
If you are traveling by car during the holidays, pay special attention to the speedometer. That’s because cameras monitor your driving speed on many roads across the country.
This is especially true in Maryland, where you could end up paying more than $400 for that lead leg under the state’s new tiered penalty system that went into effect Oct. 1.
Speed cameras have been installed all over the country, allowing drivers to be fined for speeding, even when a police officer is not around. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more than 300 communities across the country use cameras to monitor speeders.
The insurance association claims speed cameras are an “important tool” that can help reduce speeding and, in turn, crashes, injuries and fatalities.
Which states have speed cameras?
Hawaii allows the use of speed cameras throughout the state. In Arkansas, Kentucky and Indiana, speed cameras are only used in highway work zones. Some states, including Illinois and Pennsylvania, allow speed cameras in their largest cities (Chicago and Philadelphia) and in highway work zones. Meanwhile, San Francisco is the only city or town in California that has speed cameras, according to the Insurance Institute.
According to the institute, speed cameras are used in the following states:
- Alabama
- arizona
- arkansas
- California
- colorado
- connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- florida
- georgia
- Hawaii
- illinois
- Indiana
- iowa
- kentucky
- louisiana
- maryland
- minnesota
- new mexico
- new york
- ohio
- Oregon
- pennsylvania
- rhode island
- tennessee
- virginia
- washington
How much does the ticket cost?
Fines may vary by state. It may also depend on the severity of the violation. However, many states do not issue demerit points on driver’s licenses. That’s because the notification is sent to the registered owner of the vehicle (which may not be the driver who was caught speeding).
In Maryland, fines are structured as follows:
- If you go 12 to 15 miles per hour over the speed limit, the fine is $40.
- If you go 16 to 19 miles per hour over the speed limit, you will be fined $70.
- If you go 20 to 49 miles per hour over the speed limit, you will be fined $120.
- If you go 30 to 39 miles per hour over the speed limit, you will be fined $230.
- Exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 mph: $425 fine.
In Philadelphia, the fine for going 11 to 19 miles per hour over the speed limit is $100. If you go 20-49 mph over the speed limit, it’s $125. $150 for speeds over 30 mph.
Fines in San Francisco range from $50 (11-15 mph over the speed limit) up to $500 (160 mph over the speed limit). The fine in Kentucky is up to $500, according to the USA TODAY Network’s Louisville Courier-Journal.
Are there speed trap warnings?
Laws regarding warnings and signs advising drivers about speed cameras vary by state. A 2021 report commissioned by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, National Safety Council, AAA, Highway and Auto Safety Advocates, and the Governor’s Highway Safety Association recommends a series of steps to engage communities and increase public awareness, including “installing high-visibility warning signs.”
Do speed cameras make roads safer?
Less speeding means safer roads, and safety experts generally say speed cameras could be part of the solution.
“Transportation agencies and law enforcement agencies looking to reduce fatalities are pointing to improved speed enforcement as a promising approach to doing so,” said Rock Miller, a California-based traffic engineering and pedestrian and bicycle safety expert.
Mr Miller said he believes speed cameras can make a difference, especially for drivers who speed and face higher fines.
“Numerous studies show that cameras reduce speeds and cause crashes on all types of roads,” notes the Insurance Institute.
Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia is the city’s most dangerous road for pedestrians. In 2020, the city installed cameras at 10 locations along Main Street. The city says speeding tickets have decreased by 93% and crashes with serious injuries or fatalities have decreased by 21%. Crashes involving pedestrians have decreased by 50%. By 2023, the city has expanded the cameras further down Roosevelt Boulevard. In November, the city of Philadelphia installed speed cameras on a section of Broad Street, a major north-south thoroughfare through the city.
“There is evidence that even relatively small reductions in speed can lead to large reductions in deaths,” Miller said. “Even a few miles per hour can make a difference.”
