It takes affect on Sat., June 1st, 2019.
Towson, Md (KM). A new law covering out-of-state motorists who fail to pay when driving through Maryland’s toll facilities takes affect on Saturday, June 1st.
Currently, the Maryland Transportation Authority cannot take action against these drivers who avoid Maryland tolls, such as suspending their tags, or not renewing their vehicle registrations. “So the new law will actually enable the Maryland Transportation Authority Police to use debt collectors to collect uncollected tolls and debts from out-of-state motorists,” says Ragina Cooper Averella, a spokeswoman for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
“And this is particularly important,” she says. “Because on average, out-of-state drivers rack up about $1.3-million in outstanding tolls and civil penalty debt per year.”
So far this year, according to AAA, about 575,000 motorists from outside of Maryland owe a total of $102.2-million in unpaid tolls after traveling through Maryland’s eight toll facilities. The auto club says there are million of dollars in unpaid tolls from non-residents who use the Intercounty Connector (where tolls are collected electronically), cross the Bay Bridge and the Nice/Middletown Bridge (US 301).
Averella hopes these debt collectors will encourage out-of-state drivers who owe money to pay up. “People don’t want to have this hit their credit report. So hopefully, this will be a good incentive for people to pay their tolls, their outstanding toll debts in the state of Maryland,” she says.
By Kevin McManus