Traffic Ticket Process Changed With New Maryland Law

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - People who get traffic tickets in Maryland will have three options under a new law taking effect in January.

Now, drivers automatically have trial dates scheduled, but that won't happen under the new law.

They will be able to either pay the fine, ask for a waiver hearing instead of a trial or request a court date for a trial.

Drivers will have to comply within 30 days or risk having their driver's license suspended by the Motor Vehicle Administration.

Payable traffic violations like speeding, failure to obey a traffic signal, or failure to stop for a school bus are affected by the new law. Violations like driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or under a suspended license are not.

www.wtop.com

DMV Computers Still Down - No Driver's License Can Be Processed

NORFOLK - A computer system meltdown has taken DMV offline across the state. 74 customer service centers cannot process driver's licenses or ID cards.

Chris from Virginia Beach wrote to NewsChannel 3 saying his driver's license will expire on 9-3-10. He said, "I have been trying to get it renewed for the last eight days. I am going out of town for the holiday weekend. What are we to do? Can't get anyone on the phone with the DMV, can you please help?"

Pat Davis tried to renew her driver's license online.

"They said I had to come to the DMV because I have to have my picture taken," she said. When she got to the DMV, she was faced with another issue, "I was told that I could not renew my driver's license because the computers are down," she says.

The trouble is, most folks didn't know about the computer problem until they showed up at the DMV.

"It's extremely inconvenient, 'cause I have to take off from work to come in here," Pat says.

Pat's license expires tomorrow. She says she will not have to miss work again she she can legally drive again.

Melanie Stokes with the DMV told NewsChannel 3, "DMV apologizes for the inconvenience this statewide Vita computer outage has caused and we can only imagine the frustration our customers are experiencing when they cannot get a drivers license.

Drivers are now faced with no licenses and no clear cut answer on when the computers will be up and running again.

All other DMV services are up and running and the DMV says the Vita agency in charge of the computers is working around the clock to repair the problem. Call ahead and make sure the system is fixed before you make the trip.

If your license expires, state police now say they're extending a grace period. People with expired licenses from August 25th through August 31st will get a pass. If you've already received a summons because of the problems, it will go through the court system, but troopers have been advised to work with the Commonwealth Attorney on those cases.
www.wtkr.com

Virginia DMV Still Unable To Process Licenses

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia's governmental computer problems aren't fixed just yet.

The Department of Motor Vehicles says it won't be able to process driver's licenses and identification cards Monday. The agency is one of 26 affected by a major crash of the state's problem-plagued centralized computers last week.

The Virginia Information Technologies Agency says all but about three agencies' systems have been restored. Work continues on the remaining systems.

The DMV says Virginians whose ID cards or driver's licenses expired between last Wednesday and Monday must renew in person once service is restored. They have to bring a birth certificate, passport, or other document confirming citizenship or legal residency.

www.fredericksburg.com