Due to limited resources many states use speed enforcement cameras—also known as photo or video enforcement—to take a digital photograph or video of a vehicle (and its license plate) that violates the speed limit. The use of speed enforcement cameras to issue speeding tickets or citations (mailed to the driver) has been controversial, with claims that it violates Constitutional rights.

Laws vary from state to state and in some states speed enforcement cameras are a permitted enforcement tool; in some states they are prohibited; and in some states they are prohibited unless permitted by a local ordinance (city or town).

To measure the speed of a moving vehicle and issue speeding tickets by photo enforcement, police departments generally use photo or video radar that relies on radio signals and the Doppler Effect or photo and video LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology that relies on lasers rather than radio waves. These devices require training on their proper use and regular calibration to be accurate.

In Maryland, speed enforcement cameras are a legal tool for traffic enforcement. The state authorizes the use of these cameras in specific areas, particularly in school zones and work zones. Maryland law stipulates that these cameras can only issue citations to vehicles traveling at least 12 miles per hour over the speed limit in school zones and work zones. The registered owner of the vehicle receives the citation by mail, which includes the photographed evidence of the violation. The use of speed cameras in Maryland has been upheld by the courts, and the state has established regulations to ensure the accuracy and proper use of these devices, including requirements for signage notifying drivers of speed camera enforcement, regular calibration, and certification of the cameras, as well as the provision for drivers to contest citations. It's important to note that while speed cameras are widely used in Maryland, their deployment and operation are subject to specific statutory requirements to ensure their fair and effective use in improving road safety.