Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device
Drivers can often be cited in Maryland for “Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device.”
The Transportation Article §21-201 allows a driver to be cited broadly under the statute by saying a driver shall obey a traffic control device. There are many road markings, signs, and lights that drivers are expected to obey while driving their vehicle. If you do not follow these “traffic control devices” you run the risk of being cited by an officer (fine of up to $90 and 1 point) or being deemed at fault for an accident (in the event of an accident the fine can go up to $130 and 3 points being issued on your driving record).
Another subsection of Transportation Article §21-201 is a little more direct and states that a person should not use private property to avoid a traffic control device. The most common example of this is often at stop lights or stop signs at an intersection where there is a long line of vehicles. Often places like a gas station are enticing opportunities to take a short cut. Taking this short cut isn’t just a matter of courtesy towards your fellow drivers. It is against the law, and a violation carries a fine of up to $90 and 1 point or up to $130 and 3 points if you contribute to an accident.
Officers, while conducting investigations into suspected DUI/DWI drivers, use an observed violation of a traffic control device to pull a driver over and/or support their case with a claim that the driver was impaired. In fact, officers trained in detecting DUI/DWI drivers devote a section of report writing to “Vehicle in Motion” and go on to describe just what they observed.
If you find yourself facing an allegation of failing to obey a traffic control device contact a Maryland traffic defense lawyer to go over the facts of your case and explore any possible defenses you may have before going to court or paying any fines.