Beginning Today: Speed Cameras Citations Carry a Fine

A total of 650 drivers driving 12 mph over the speed limit have received warnings as a result of speed cameras, Howard County police said Wednesday.

Beginning Wednesday Nov. 16, speed camera vans located along Howard County roads will begin issuing $40 citations instead of warnings, according to Howard County Police.

A 30-day warning period started on Oct. 17 when Howard County’s  were placed along roads in school zones. Drivers caught by the cameras traveling 12 mph or more over the speed limit have been issued only warnings since then.

Camera operators visited nearly all schools during the testing period to assess best practices for each location, according to a county press release.

The County Council  along roads in school districts last May after a police department study found that 66 percent of vehicles traveling along those roads were exceeding the speed limit.

"Our goal is to change driver behavior," said Howard County Police Chief William McMahon in a press release Wednesday. "We know this can't happen overnight, but we are hopeful that over time, people will slow down when they are driving near schools in Howard County."

Money collected in Howard County through speed camera fines will first go to pay for the program, but any surplus will be earmarked for traffic safety and pedestrian programs,  last spring.

Other counties and cities in Maryland have seen  over the past few years, with much of that money going to support police and fire departments.

The speed cameras are not always a welcome site to motorists. One camera system was vandalized in Laurel earlier this year.

According to Police Spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn, there have been no reported incidents of vandalism to either of the vans housing Howard County’s speed cameras.

HCPD updates the list of speed camera locations on its website every Thursday. Patch has also posted a list of the most current locations .