In an effort to increase driver compliance with the posted School Zone speed limits throughout Wicomico County, the County is launching an Automated Speed Enforcement Camera Program. Similar programs are being utilized in Montgomery County and District Heights, and are viewed as an effective means of positively changing driver behavior and improving safety for both pedestrians and motorists. The Transportation Article of the Maryland Annotated Code authorizes municipalities to establish school zones and utilize speed monitoring systems to enforce posted limits. Maryland law further requires that revenue derived from such programs be utilized for public safety programs and improving pedestrian safety.
According to Sheriff Mike Lewis, "Our main objective is to protect the children and residents of Wicomico from drivers who are choosing to disobey the posted speed limit and break the law".
The speed enforcement equipment uses a radar camera programmed to capture a series of photographs of vehicles exceeding the posted limit by more than 12 mph during the hours of 6am-8pm. These digital images will be used to identify the vehicle’s registered owner and will appear on the citation which carries a $40 fine. The vehicle’s recorded speed and the time of the violation will also be noted on the violation, which is being treated as a civil rather than criminal penalty. As a result, no license "points" will be assigned and insurance providers are not notified of the citation.
To allow drivers who live, work or travel through the area time to become more familiar with the program, Warning notices will be issued to violators for the first 30 days beginning Tuesday, May 29, 2012. Once the grace period concludes, violators will receive a $40 citation which may be contested in Maryland District Court. Detailed instructions on how to pay the citation or request a Court date are included on the violation notice.
In addition to the Warning period, information regarding the program will be available on the Wicomico County Sheriffs website www.wicomicosheriff.com and signage will be posted advising drivers that camera enforcement is being utilized.
According to Sheriff Lewis, "The overriding goal of this program is not to trap drivers or catch speeders, the goal is to make people aware and get them to slow down…lives depend on it".
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I think the whole thing sucks!
ReplyDeleteRevenue enhancement in the name of so called public safety! So go ahead and get you speed camera up and running and I'll get my paintball gun read as well.
I've lived in Wicomico County for 62 years, and I don't recall any child being killed in one of these school zones. So tell me again why we need this!
ReplyDeleteThe big question is how do we get the cops to slow down..... Oh thats right thats diffarnt.
ReplyDeleteToo bad that they never really catch the ones who are not obeying law. I see it everyday on most streets and highways in the Salisbury area. Check out Johnson Road with a hidden camera. Last week I witnessed a motor bike going more that 50 MPH, not wearing a helmet, and having no tags on the bike. No cops to be found!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletePut a camera on the corner of Boof Street. That's where progress should be made!
ReplyDeleteBull Crap Sheriff it's just another tax to pay for frivolous county waste!
ReplyDeleteWho cares if it is a tax paying event. Do not speed and you won't get a fine. If Speed Camera operations are enabled all year, than you will not have to remember in late August - not to speed- again until next June. The ones mouthing off on here about what they are going to do to the speed cameras will get into much more serious trouble than a fine. Does not make sense to me a child has to get killed by a speeder, first, and than it will be okay to put up Speed Cameras. A "tax" will not be paid if your car does not speed in a school zone. Just use your energy to follow the speed limit and STOP with the uneducated remarks.....and we wonder about attitudes of today's youth.
ReplyDeleteWhat did they do with the OFFICERS that were caught the first month the program was installed on Rt. 50?
ReplyDeleteI believe more law enforcement hypocrites were caught than decent citizens.
It is just more BS that goverment hand us. It's always about the children, again BS. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, PLEASE Lewes and everyone else. Tell the truth, it is easier to swallow that "it's about the kid's". I have been hearing it's about the kid's for 55 years, get off it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that this is going to be up and running just in time for schools to be out for summer!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize going 47 mph in a 35 mph area was so much more dangerous than going 46 mph. Wow thanks for that info. Sheriff if it was not so clearly a money making manuever I would have to start a petition to have you removed from office for stupid comments. Why till 8 pm? Are there that many students walking to and from school at that time? How many are walking to school at 6am? Sounds to me like we needed to make these students safer during the busiest times of the day whether they are in school or not. But remember, this is not a money making scheme.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how hard it was for Lewis to give that statement with a straight face..."The overriding goal is....not to catch speeders, but make lots of money..-er-ahh um- I mean get them to slow down..."
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we are catching School Zone speeders over the Summer-Break between the hours of 6am-8pm?
Once upon a time an officer had to be holding a camera for it to be admissible in a court, or case. These tickets don't usually go to court,do they?
ReplyDeleteMike Lewis says "the main goal is to protect the citizens of Wicomico County from drivers who choose to disobey the posted speed limit and break the law"....Hmmmm. Really?? I wonder what he plans to do to the POLICE who are REGULARLY photographed "breaking the law", often in a golf shirt with their kids in the car. Lets hear it Sheriff--- whatcha gonna do about THAT? And please don't say "I'm going to sternly counsel them". Thats NOT an option taxpaying regular citizens, you know the ones WITHOUT a "get away with whatever I want to do" badge get to pick. WE pay a fine, but I would GLADLY take a "stern counseling session" instead of a $40 tax. Or fine. whatever the latest rationalization is.....So what's going to be the deal with the roadrunner cops?
ReplyDeleteIf it is all about the "kids" why is the money not going to the schools?
ReplyDeleteHey Wicomico keeps raising my taxes (and those of everyone else, too), so if we can keep taxes from increasing with this kind of revenue, I'm all for it.
ReplyDeleteIt's the best kind of tax of all: don't speed and you don't pay.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeletePut a camera on the corner of Boof Street. That's where progress should be made!
May 27, 2012 2:15 PM
No that would be Boof Skreet!!
Each one of these tickets are beatable! You have the constitutional right to face your accuser. This has held up in Federal Court. These cameras are leased to the counties, and make big profits from them.
ReplyDeleteThis is like Lewis pissing on my head and telling me its raining,nope dont believe it. Lewis some of us have funtioning brains.call it what it is and that is a way to get $$$$.
ReplyDelete