Are Work Zone Speed Limits Enforced When No Workers are Present?
They’re a necessary inconvenience. Although warning signs alert drivers to changing conditions, many simply ignore them. Work zone speed limits protect drivers and road workers alike, yet Maryland drivers often receive citations for going too fast in designated construction zones. As a result, many construction sites throughout Maryland rely on speed cameras to catch drivers passing through at unsafe speeds.
Bright orange, white, and yellow signs appear before these highway work zones, often marked by tall traffic cones, alerting drivers to speed limit enforcement. The signs even depict an icon of a camera, but many motorists fail to notice or make light of them. Other speed monitoring devices post drivers’ speeds as they pass by, flashing when drivers exceed the posted speed limit. Still, speed cameras throughout Baltimore recover millions of dollars for the city.
Can Speeding Cameras Ticket You in an Empty Work Zones?
Speed monitoring devices in designated work zones function 24/7 throughout the completion of a particular project. A person can receive a speeding ticket in the mail that resulted from a speed camera in a work zone, even if they were going the everyday speed and no actual workers were present. These tickets carry a fine of $40, yet penalties do not result in points against your driver’s license.
Anyone who travels at 12 or more miles per hour above the posted speed limit in a construction zone may receive a citation. It may seem unfair to enforce reduced speed limits in empty work zones; however, the cameras have made drivers more aware of their speed in these high-risk areas. These cameras have modified drivers’ behavior and saved lives.
How Traffic Cameras Make Construction Zones Safer
According to the Maryland Department of Transportation, six people died in work zone crashes in Maryland in 2016 while others suffered incapacitating injuries. Overall, work zone fatalities have dropped significantly to 6.6 per year between 2010 and 2016 compared with 11.9 fatalities per year from 2003-2009.
AAA Mid-Atlantic has stated that the cameras have reduced the number of crashes in work zones and resulted in reduced fines being paid. In recent years, ticket revenue has declined by 44.5% because many drivers who have already been ticketed have not repeated the offense. Since the cameras were activated, the number of cars speeding in work zones has dropped 90%, which correlates with a drop in the total number of fatalities in these areas.
Excessive Speeding Starts at 15 MPH Over the Speed Limit
Excessive speeding is a serious traffic violation which may result in points against your driver’s license. Those points could accumulate and result in a suspended license. A person caught driving at 15 mph or more above the speed limit may face a hefty fine. State law recognizes the dangers of speeding on highways, meaning a person may face steeper fines for speeding on highways.
If you pay a ticket for excessive speeding, you admit to the state and your insurance company that you’re not a safe driver. The state may ultimately punish you with a suspended license if you continue to receive citations and pay off the associated fines. Rather than give in to the State, fight your ticket with the help of an excessive speeding lawyer who defends drivers in Baltimore and surrounding areas. Working with a lawyer can help you maintain a clean driving record and your privilege to drive.
Have a Baltimore Traffic Lawyer Fight Your Traffic Ticket
Attorney Hillel Traub of The Law Office of Hillel Traub has more than 20 years of experience representing drivers throughout Maryland. He has worked as an Assistant Attorney General for Maryland MVA and understands the organization’s inner workings in such a way that will be advantageous to your case in court. Call our law firm at (410) 580-1100 for a free consultation or complete our contact form.