Automated Traffic Enforcement Speed Program

The Law

Speed cameras can only be located in areas allowed by Maryland law. The two types of roadways that can be monitored by a speed camera are defined in Maryland traffic law (Traffic Article 21-809) as:

• a residential road with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less

  OR

• a school zone

Criteria Used For Selecting a Safe Speed Camera Location

If a suggested location is a residential road with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less or in a school zone, the following process is used for selecting a Safe Speed camera location:'

1) Pre- Enforcement Verification

• Requests from residents, Homeowners Associations (HOAs), police officers, government officials, and Police Department Traffic Division personnel.
• Collision data
• Additional factors such as site surveys, pedestrian activity, community and environmental concerns, points of interest in the area to include places of worship, schools, public facilities, swim centers, etc.

2) Data Collection

• Several sources of data collection are culled and narrowed to stretches of roadways where there is believed to be a concentration of speeding problems.

3) Data Analysis

• Collected data is analyzed and reviewed by Automated Traffic Enforcement Unit

4) Program Manager/Designee Site Visit

• Once a potential camera location has been evaluated, a site visit is made to determine whether the location will be presented to

This visit may include a review and consideration of the following:

• Location - residential, school zone, or commercial
• Roadway grade - curve, hill, straight
• Proper signage (Is the speed limit posted, are there signs noting a change in speed limit, are there photo-enforced signs posted? etc.).
• Crash endangerment – number of crashes in the designated area.
• Environmental factors – areas where the equipment can be safely set up, operated, and maintained
• Traffic-volume metrics – total number of vehicles passing through a selected survey location between rush hour and non-rush hour periods
• Prioritization of the suggested camera location/roadway by contributing factors – What is the pedestrian proximity on a potential speed enforcement road/deployment location? What additional factors exist? For example: schools, bus stops, playgrounds, pools, sidewalks, retirement facilities, crosswalks.

5) Final Approval

• The Automated Traffic Enforcement Unit confers with the Commander of the Traffic Division. The Commander of the Traffic Division has final approval. Once final approval is given the site must be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation prior to conducting enforcement.

NOTE: As the Speed Camera program evolved, it became apparent that drivers generally slowed down when approaching a known speed camera and accelerated once they have passed it.

It is important to understand that the Automated Traffic Enforcement Unit uses a data driven approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the camera and the placement of the camera. The cameras are portable and are frequently rotated among all of the approved sites in the County to ensure the County’s speeding concerns are addressed.

The system monitors traffic and determines each vehicle's speed. When it identifies motorists traveling 12 mph or more over the posted speed limit, the cameras will take a photo of the license plate in violation, and automated speed enforcement equipment records all of the relevant data associated with the violation.

Portable Camera Units (PCUs) in school zones will be operable from 6:00 AM  –  8:00 PM, Monday – Friday including holidays and during the summer. Cameras placed in residential areas will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

• There will be a $40.00 Fine for speed violations. 
• This is a Civil Violation. 
• No points will be issued against the vehicle’s owner's driving record.
• Failure to pay fines will result in one’s inability to renew the vehicle registration.
• Insurance companies are not allowed to access speed camera violation information.
   

A citation with images of the violating vehicle will be mailed to the vehicle's registered owner. Once the violator receives the citation, payment, request for appeal, or written correspondence can be sent to the designated mailing address. 

Before the speed camera system starts issuing citations at a designated location, signage regarding the cameras will be put in place and the system will only issue warnings for the first 15 days at the designated location. 

A multi-step review process occurs before issuing each and every citation. Sworn Anne Arundel County Police Officers will make the ultimate decision of whether a violation actually occurred
 

Maryland law defines a school zone as within a half-mile radius of any school where either the State Highway Administration or the local authority may establish a school zone and set maximum speed limits applicable in the school zone. School zones must be established by placing signs designating the zone and the maximum speed limit applicable in the zone.
 

As Maryland state law dictates, speed cameras are triggered when a vehicle travels at least 12 miles per hour (mph) over the speed limit. In Maryland, the operation and use of speed monitoring systems (speed cameras) are governed by the Maryland Transportation Article, specifically § 21-809.

Automated speed monitoring does not preclude officers from issuing citations for violations. Each police district has a traffic coordinator who can address traffic-related issues through enforcement and education and recommend potential engineering changes if necessary. Community members are encouraged to contact their respective districts if they have concerns about a specific area or ongoing driver behavior.

Northern District: 410-222-6135

Eastern District: 410-222-6145

Western District: 410-222-6155

Southern District: 410-222-1960

Maryland law requires revenue from such programs to be utilized for public safety programs and improving pedestrian safety.