Audit: Less than half of speeders got tickets

An audit of the Maryland State Highway Administration has found that citations were issued to less than half the drivers caught speeding in work zones during the first 9 months of the state's work-zone speed camera program.

 

   The audit was released Tuesday. It found that between October 2009 and June 2010, only 44 percent of violators that were photographed got tickets. The rest were thrown out "due to reliability and readability issues." As a result, the state brought in $850,000 less than the contractor had estimated. The contract was held by ACS Inc., which has since been bought by Xerox.

 

   The SHA says it agrees with the findings but says the technology has changed and the percentage has improved. There are currently 15 work zones in Maryland with speed cameras.