Traffic and Motor Vehicle Law

Traffic and Motor Vehicle Law
Your Rights and Some Tips If You are Stopped by the Police

Traffic law and motor vehicle issues affect almost everyone in Maryland at one time or another. Finding your way around the maze can be challenging and many people feel that it is not worth hiring an attorney for a routine traffic case. Have you physically misplaced your license?

Find out about your traffic tickets - The Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles website offers the official access to your driving record on-line. You can obtain a certified or a non-certified copy for a small fee. Be careful – there is a very similarly named commercial site www.dmv.org that will charge three times as much.

Finding the Law in Maryland

The Maryland State Law Library produces an online series of reference guides called "pathfinders." These will walk you through where the law can be found. They do not include questions and answers.

Traffic Citation Fact Sheet: The District Court of Maryland offers detailed information and describes "must appear" and "payable" citations.

How to Handle Your Case

Nolo Press, a reputable self-help legal publisher based in California, has a number of useful articles online.

Remember that these articles do not discuss local practice or Maryland law. Keep that in mind and check local law before you rely on anything you find. On the other hand, the articles can provide some practical help on topics such as:

If you are stopped by the Police: Information and Tips from the American Civil Liberties Union.

Older Drivers: Issues and Resources

If you suspect that you, a friend or a relative may have trouble driving, consider the following.

Suggesting an eye test. Glaucoma can be treated.
Reduce night-time driving or find alternative transportation.
Asking a physician or pharmacist for a medication assessment. Medication interactions or dosages that are not appropriate for older persons can impair driving.
Motor function: Motor abilities such as muscle strength and flexibility for operating a car under go changes as people age
- Older drivers are more likely to experience crashes in intersections, especially when a left-hand turn is involved
The American Medical Association has a new Physician’s guide on assessing older drivers.
The MD Motor Vehicle Administration offers several useful guides for older drivers or drivers who have certain disabilities. Topics include: a brochure for caregivers of people with Alzheimer's and related disorders, a guide to help the older, more experienced driver continue his or her good driving habits and a vision screening form that can be used by your ophthalmologist/optometrist to record your vision screening results.
There are two helpful publications from the Hartford Insurance/AARP Driver Safety Program for children of older drivers who have concerns.
- "We need to talk" - Are Older Drivers at Risk? Preparing for the Conversation - Having the Conversation - Help Beyond Conversation
- "At the crossroads": A Practical Guide to Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia and Driving

Resources for Older Drivers

AARP, a national nonprofit serving persons aged 50 and over, offers some useful materials to help older drivers.

Driver Safety Programs – you can search for local classes in Maryland and you may qualify for an auto insurance discount or call 1-888-687-2277.
Whew! Close call? - This website will help you determine if you have had too many close calls.
Test your Driving IQ and find out how older drivers respond on the roads.

Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully, this booklet by the National Highway Safety Administration outlines physical changes related to aging and tips to help you remain safe while driving.

Update - Maryland is one of just a few states that have tested screening tools to try to identify the driver most likely to have an accident. These efforts are just in their infancy. Many advocates worry about how these tools might disadvantage many older drivers, not just drivers who may be experiencing changes in their ability to drive.

Source: Maryland Legal Assistance Network, updated by the Maryland State Law Library (MSLL).

Last Date Review (no legal content) 5/6/08 (PLL/M.A.J.)

Is this legal advice? This site offers legal information, not legal advice. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information and to clearly explain your options. However we do not provide legal advice - the application of the law to your individual circumstances. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney. See our section on Finding Legal Help.

About this website. The Maryland State Law Library, a court-related agency of the Maryland Judiciary, sponsors this site. The website was developed (1999-2007) as part of an access to justice initiative by the Maryland Legal Assistance Network (MLAN) in collaboration with a number of legal services providers serving low and moderate income Marylanders. In the absence of file-specific attribution or copyright, the Maryland State Law Library may hold the copyright to parts of this website. You are free to copy the information for your own use or for other non-commercial purposes with the following language “Source: Maryland's People’s Law Library – www.peoples-law.org. © Maryland State Law Library, 2007.”

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