It is the goal of the Edmonston Police Department to ensure the safety of both motorists and pedestrians at all intersections of the city, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is no secret however, that it would be impossible to station a police officer at each intersection, at all times. To assist us in achieving that goal however, the department employs the use of an Automated Red Light Enforcement Camera System. These sophisticated devices monitor intersection traffic day and night, and capture images of vehicles violating Maryland's Red Light Traffic Law. This allows our officers to concentrate on other community issues.
Photographs are sent to the Edmonston Police Department, where a technician examines each one and determines if the vehicle in question is in violation. If so, a citation is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, with two pictures timed seconds apart clearly showing the red light violation, and a third picture showing a "close up" of the vehicle's tag number. The fine for these types of violations is $75.00, and payment is made directly to the Town of Edmonston. Payments can be made in person at police headquarters, by mail (at the address listed on the citation), or via the internet, by following the instructions listed on the reverse side of the violation notice. (Credit cards are accepted for online payments only.)
(See additional payment information below.)
A person receiving a violation notice may also request to stand trial in the District Court, by completing the section on the lower left area of the reverse side of the citation, and mailing it to the address listed at least five (5) days prior to the listed due date. If you elect to stand trial, the maximum amount you can be charged is $100.00, plus court costs.
It should be noted that citations issued by the Red Light Camera Automated Enforcement Program are considered "civil violations," as opposed to "traffic violations," and as such, are not be recorded on a vehicle owner's driving record, and cannot be viewed by insurance companies.
The picture below is an example of a vehicle (the Black sedan) which is in violation of the red light law because it has passed the clearly marked stop line, and has entered the pedestrian crosswalk.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Does a Red Light Camera conviction affect my driver's license?
A. No. Red Light Camera violations are considered "civil violations," and are not a part of your driver's license record, nor do they assess points.
Q. Will the fine increase if I don't pay it by the due date?
A. The fine will not increase from the original $75.00, however payments not made by a certain date will cause your vehicle registration information to be sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles, which will in turn, post a "flag" on the tags. This flag will prevent the owner from renewing the vehicle's registration until the outstanding fine has been paid, and an official "Flagging Release" has been issued by the police department. In those cases, an additional $50.00 administrative fee is added to the original fine to offset the cost of the flagging program.
Q. Can I pay for my Red Light Camera Ticket in person?
A. Yes. You can pay for your citation at the Edmonston Police Department, located at 5005 52nd Avenue - Edmonston, Maryland 20781.
Q. Can I pay for my Red Light Camera Ticket in by phone or online?
A. Yes to both. For telephone payments, call 1-800-634-5130. You will need a copy of your citation with you when calling.
Q. I paid my outstanding Red Light Camera ticket online, but my tags had already been flagged. I was able to print a receipt on my home printer, but how do I get the official "flagging release" receipt?
A. The police department uses a third party company to collect online payments. That company notifies us when "flagged" payments have been made, and in turn, we mail the official flagging release paperwork to the registered owner of the vehicle. This process takes approximately 4 weeks for the flagging release to be mailed out, however if you need a release sooner (to renew your tags immediately), simply call us at (301) 699-8805 and we will mail the out the flagging release right away, or appear at the police station in person, and we will hand it to you on the spot.
Q. I received a Red Light Camera ticket in the mail, but I am sure I stopped for the light. Why did I receive this?
A. In addition to vehicles which proceed through the intersection while the light is in the red phase, red light camera violations are also triggered by vehicles which pass the clearly marked "stop line" or enter the pedestrian crosswalk. You would not have received a citation unless one of those three conditions had been met. (See above for additional information and an example picture.)
Q. What real purpose does the Red Light Camera System serve?
A. Red light running is a leading cause of urban crashes and often causes injury and death. According to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately 250 people nationwide are killed or injured each day by red light violators. This amounts to more than 1,100 deaths and over 150,000 injuries a year in crashes that result from running red lights. More than half of the deaths are pedestrians and occupants of other vehicles who are hit by red light violators. Studies show that red light cameras significantly reduce the number of red light violations and intersection crashes. Photo enforcement is a proven deterrent that changes behavior and leads to safer driving habits.
Red light cameras also provide a more effective means of law enforcement than traditional enforcement methods carried out by police. Enforcing traffic laws in dense urban areas proves difficult for police officers, as they typically follow a violating vehicle through the red signal in order to cite it. Traffic volume and safety considerations mean that law enforcement officials can only apprehend a fraction of the violators, putting motorists and pedestrians as risk. Jurisdictions would need tremendous financial capabilities to constantly patrol intersections in order to cite red light violators. Red light cameras provide safe and consistent enforcement at a reasonable cost, while allowing officers to focus on other enforcement issues.
Q. How can I contest this citation?
A. You can request to stand trial in District Court by completing the form on the reverse side of your citation, and mailing it to the police department no less than five (5) days prior to the due date. You will then be notified of a court date by mail. You are not required to bring your copy of the citation to court (unless you want to), as the judge will have a copy of your citation in front of him or her, as well as enlarged pictures of the violation. If you are found guilty, the maximum you can be charged is $100.00, plus court costs.
