One of the most common questions in Maryland traffic court is whether your case is automatically dismissed if the police officer who wrote the ticket doesn’t show up. The short answer: not automatically. While a case can be dismissed when the officer fails to appear, it is never guaranteed — the outcome depends on the Read More

Every Maryland traffic ticket falls into one of two categories, and which one you have changes everything about how to respond. A payable citation — like most speeding tickets, an officer-issued school-bus violation, or failure to obey a sign or signal — is not punishable by jail, and you can simply pay the preset fine, Read More

An unsafe lane change in Maryland is charged under Md. Code, Transp. § 21-309, which requires a driver to stay within a single lane and not move from it until the driver has first confirmed the movement can be made safely. The violation generally carries a fine and 1 point on the driving record — Read More

Failing to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk in Maryland is governed by Md. Code, Transp. § 21-502, which requires a driver to come to a complete stop — not merely slow down — when a pedestrian crossing in a crosswalk is on the driver’s half of the roadway or approaching from an adjacent Read More

Following too closely — tailgating — is prohibited in Maryland under Md. Code, Transp. § 21-310, which bars following another vehicle “more closely than is reasonable and prudent” given the speed, traffic, and road conditions. A citation carries a fine of up to $500 and 2 points on your driving record, rising to 3 points Read More

Running a red light or a stop sign in Maryland carries very different consequences depending on how it was caught. An officer-issued red light citation under Md. Code, Transp. § 21-202 is a misdemeanor moving violation — typically around $140 (more if it contributes to an accident) and 2 points on your driving record. A Read More

Failure to yield the right-of-way in Maryland covers a family of violations under Title 21, Subtitle 4 of the Transportation Code — failing to yield when turning left (§ 21-402), failing to stop and yield at a stop sign or when entering a through highway (§ 21-403), failing to yield when entering from a private Read More

Passing a stopped school bus in Maryland is governed by Md. Code, Transp. § 21-706, which requires every driver to stop at least 20 feet from a school bus that is displaying alternately flashing red lights and an extended stop arm — whether you’re approaching from behind or from the opposite direction. The penalty depends Read More