Tickets issued at red lights vary for Maryland counties

WASHINGTON – Rockville is seeing a significant increase in the number of tickets issued at red lights. However, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties are taking a different approach to ticketing traffic violators.

Red-light camera tickets were up 343 percent in Rockville between Aug. 1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2012, compared to the same period in 2011.

Rockville City Police Maj. Michael England says the increase in tickets is the result of new red-light cameras introduced throughout Montgomery County.

A large portion of the tickets in Rockville are issued to drivers who do not come to a complete stop behind the white line at the intersection of a red light, or to those who do not come to a complete stop before turning right on red.

Unlike Rockville City Police, Montgomery County Police take a different approach to ticketing drivers at red lights.

Montgomery County Police Capt. Thomas Didone says if the driver almost stopped at a red light when turning right, and did not pose a risk to pedestrians, the ticket is thrown out.

The same is said for when drivers in Montgomery County don’t intend to stop beyond the white line at an intersection.

Prince George’s County Police Maj. Robert Liberati says police also toss out tickets issued in those circumstances. Part of the reason the county cannot ticket drivers who make rolling right turns is because the county’s cameras are older. However, that will soon change when Price George’s gets new cameras later this year.

WTOP’s Ari Ashe contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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