Maryland New Laws for Traffic Cameras, Phasing out Bounty Cameras
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With a new law that takes effect June 1 20014, Maryland is restricting school zone traffic cameras from areas where the zone speed limit is 20 mph or less. It is also phasing out "bounties" or revenue sharing of tickets with contractors, although this will not happen right away.
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Maryland: New Speed Camera Restrictions Taking Effect
Another law taking effect on Sunday will place restrictions on school zone speed cameras.
Within three years it will ban speed camera vendors form being paid a commission on each ticket issued by a camera.
The law also requires any jurisdiction with a school zone speed camera to have an ombudsman, to review individual tickets, and complaints that any camera ticket is inaccurate.
The measure applies to all local jurisdictions that have speed cameras, including Baltimore City.
The city's program has been suspended for the last year after audits found the camera equipment used was inaccurate, and motorists were getting tickets even though they were not speeding.
The law allows speed cameras to snap pictures of vehicles whose driver are traveling at least 12 m.p.h. above the posted speed limit.
Motorists receive a $40 fine, but no points on their license, for each ticket.
-Baltimore Sun
Phasing out Bounty Camera
I hope this is a trend that will be picked up by all states........
It'll take a few years for
It'll take a few years for other states to do the same.
IMHO, if you take away the
IMHO, if you take away the bounty, the camera companies will slowly go away. If they can't take a profit for each ticket, then there is no business model there.
Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267
Good riddance
Given the financial stakes, I'd suspect they have their army of lawyers trying to find a way around this. Good riddance if it sticks. Don't be surprised if the red light cam companies start pouring money into the coffers of candidates who'd roll back the law.
It's ridiculous that bounties were ever allowed.
Would you trust the testimony of a cop who gets a cut from a speeding ticket? Then why would you trust the evidence produced by a speed-camera where the operator gets a bounty?
Mutiny on the bounty.
It'll take a few years for other states to do the same.
I hope other states follow suit. I think there are legitimate uses for cameras, but they need to be funded and operated by the local jurisdictions that authorize them, not by for-profit companies. If you take the for-profit bounties out of the formula, I think the cameras will do a much better job of self-regulating.
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon
Sounds good!
While this sounds good, I see the following article clarifies some of this information and it doesn't sound like much will change.
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/43/4382.asp
Maryland
Maryland is amongst the states which have the highest number of redlight & spped cameras in the nation. Revenue is number 1 on the agenda of the State & Local governments.
Don't count on them disappearing just yet.
What's missing is that if the contractor cites an individual for a ticket & that it is proved incorrect, the contractor should pay a HUGE fine. That in itself will limit abuse, but on the other hand it's very costly to take off to contest a ticket.
And that from a retired person who hasn't ever gotten a ticket from these devices.
Fred
Chevy Chase, MD
New Maryland Law
Although this law is a move in the right direction, Speed Cameras are here to stay as long as they can generate sufficient funds to run the program. I have attached the following link to Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) that some might find of interest concerning Speed and Red Light Cameras Laws by State along with the following topics: Aggressive , Driving Child Passenger Safety, Distracted Driving, Drug Impaired Driving, Drunk Driving, Graduated Driver Licensing, Helmets, Mature Drivers, Seat Belts, Segways, Sobriety Checkpoint, Speed Limits, Speed and Red Light Cameras, Work Zone,
http://www.ghsa.org/index.html
Look for a New Tax
If Maryland loses any money an speed/red light cameras. they will just create a new tax/fee to make up the diiference.
Actually, they'll just create a new tax/fee regardless of speed/red light camera changes.