Speed camera tickets have not been issued to motorists since 2013, but starting this week, speed cameras are back.
Baltimore’s speed cameras are back in use as of Monday, July 31. Motorists who are recorded driving over the speed limit will be issued tickets. Meanwhile, eight red light cameras are in a one-month-long warning phase, after which $75 tickets will be issued to violators. The city has twice previously discontinued speed camera programs as cameras were issuing tickets to drivers who were driving under the speed limit. The city has deemed the cameras necessary, however, as 20,000 crashes occur yearly in Baltimore. Safety is the program’s main goal and purpose. In all, the city has 10 speed cameras which will issue $40 tickets to drivers in various locations in the city, mostly near school zones and in areas where motor safety is most needed.
The city hopes the program’s quality control staff will weed out the invalid tickets that were a problem in the city’s previous speed camera programs. Since the time the cameras were set up in June, more than 1,000 warnings have been issued to motorists. The two-month-long warning phase was used as a way of testing the new system while also making motorists aware of the steps being taken to crack down on speeding and traffic violations. Warnings will no longer be issued, however, and the traffic tickets are expected to generate millions of dollars in revenue.
Steps to revive the system began back in May when contracts were awarded to restructure the old system. The current five-year contract pays American Traffic Solutions $5.4 million and Conduent Inc. $4.2 million to run the red light and speed camera systems.
During the program’s second attempt, a Baltimore Sun investigation revealed not only flaws in the issuing of citations, but also what is called a “bounty system,” in which companies hired are paid per citation. The Maryland General Assembly has since outlawed the practice.
The speed and red light camera locations are listed here.
What are your thoughts on the speed camera system? Have you ever received a warning or ticket? Tell us about it in the comments below!
