I was cited on Route 322 near Hershey but I live out of state — do I need to come back to PA?

Not necessarily. Pennsylvania summary traffic cases must be handled by a PA-licensed attorney, but most hearings and negotiations can be handled without your physical presence. We regularly represent out-of-state visitors cited on their way to or from Hersheypark and Giant Center.

Does it matter whether I was stopped on the limited-access part of 322 or closer to Hershey?

Yes, for two reasons: which department cited you (State Police can use radar; municipal officers cannot) and which MDJ has jurisdiction. Harrisburg, Lower Paxton, Swatara, and Derry Township each run their own district court, so the exact stop location matters.

Why do citations spike on 322 after Giant Center concerts?

Derry Township Police increase patrols along Hersheypark Drive and the Route 322 approach after large events, when traffic volume and following-too-closely violations both rise sharply as thousands of vehicles leave at once.

Can a local police officer use radar in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania is the only state that reserves radar for the State Police. Municipal departments have to rely on timing devices such as ENRADD, VASCAR, pacing, or an aircraft-assisted measurement — each of which has its own calibration, certification, and minimum-distance requirements that can be challenged.

Should I just pay a citation I got on the highway?

Paying is pleading guilty. The points land on your PennDOT record, your insurance can rise for years, and some violations trigger a suspension or a CDL disqualification on their own. Many corridor citations can be reduced to a non-point violation or beaten at the summary trial.

Do I have to come back to the county where I was cited?

The summary trial is held before the magisterial district judge with jurisdiction over the place the citation was written, so the case stays in that county. In most instances we can appear for you and negotiate with the citing officer, which keeps out-of-town and commercial drivers off the road for a court date.

How many points before Pennsylvania suspends my license?

At 6 points PennDOT can require a written exam or a departmental hearing, and repeat 6-point accumulations bring escalating suspensions. At 11 points a suspension is automatic under § 1539. Two points come off for every 12 consecutive months without a violation.

Traffic Ticket Lawyer · Route 322 (Dauphin County — Harrisburg to Hershey)

Traffic tickets on Route 322 (Dauphin County — Harrisburg to Hershey).

Citations written on Route 322 (Dauphin County — Harrisburg to Hershey) follow the same point schedule as anywhere else in Pennsylvania — but who stopped you, what device they used, and which magisterial district judge hears the case all change how the ticket is fought. We defend drivers cited on this corridor.

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Dauphin County

Why this stretch generates so many citations.

Route 322 connects downtown Harrisburg to Hershey, running through Lower Paxton Township, Swatara Township, and Derry Township before reaching Hersheypark Drive. It's a mixed corridor — limited-access sections near the Harrisburg interchanges give way to signalized surface road as it approaches Hershey — and it carries both daily commuter traffic and heavy seasonal volume from Hersheypark, Giant Center events, and Hershey Lodge visitors. That combination of speed differential, merge points, and event traffic makes it one of the more heavily cited routes in Dauphin County, particularly on summer weekends and after concerts let out. Out-of-state visitors headed to or from Hershey attractions are cited here constantly and often don't realize Pennsylvania requires PA-licensed counsel to fight the ticket.

PA State Police Troop H, headquartered in Dauphin County, patrols the limited-access segments of Route 322 near the Harrisburg interchanges and is the only agency authorized to use radar there. Closer to Hershey and through the townships, the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, Lower Paxton Township Police, Swatara Township Police, and Derry Township Police handle most stops using ENRADD, VASCAR, or pacing, since municipal officers cannot use radar under Pennsylvania law. Derry Township in particular ramps up patrols during Hersheypark season and after Giant Center events.

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Which court hears the citation

Route 322 citations are filed with the Dauphin County Magisterial District Judge for the municipality where the stop occurred — Harrisburg, Lower Paxton Township, Swatara Township, or Derry Township each have their own MDJ. A guilty verdict can be summarily appealed to the Dauphin County Courthouse, 101 Market Street, Harrisburg, within 30 days of the MDJ decision.

Getting to us

Route 322 is roughly a 20-minute drive east of our Camp Hill office. We regularly handle citations from Harrisburg's eastern edge all the way out to Derry Township and Hershey.

3425 Simpson Ferry Rd, Suite 100, Camp Hill, PA 17011

Typical citations on this corridor

What officers write here.

Speeding (75 Pa.C.S. § 3362)
Reckless driving (75 Pa.C.S. § 3736)
Following too closely (75 Pa.C.S. § 3310)
Disregarding a traffic control device (75 Pa.C.S. § 3111)
Careless driving (75 Pa.C.S. § 3714)
Improper passing or unsafe lane change

Points, not fines, are what make these citations expensive. Start with the PA license points & suspension guide, and if a magisterial district judge has already found you guilty, you have 30 days to file a summary appeal for a new trial at the Court of Common Pleas.

Related traffic defense

Cities, counties, and offenses on this corridor.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Questions we get from drivers cited on Route 322 (Dauphin County — Harrisburg to Hershey) — the device the officer used, which court hears it, and what the points do.

Not necessarily. Pennsylvania summary traffic cases must be handled by a PA-licensed attorney, but most hearings and negotiations can be handled without your physical presence. We regularly represent out-of-state visitors cited on their way to or from Hersheypark and Giant Center.
Yes, for two reasons: which department cited you (State Police can use radar; municipal officers cannot) and which MDJ has jurisdiction. Harrisburg, Lower Paxton, Swatara, and Derry Township each run their own district court, so the exact stop location matters.
Derry Township Police increase patrols along Hersheypark Drive and the Route 322 approach after large events, when traffic volume and following-too-closely violations both rise sharply as thousands of vehicles leave at once.
No. Pennsylvania is the only state that reserves radar for the State Police. Municipal departments have to rely on timing devices such as ENRADD, VASCAR, pacing, or an aircraft-assisted measurement — each of which has its own calibration, certification, and minimum-distance requirements that can be challenged.
Paying is pleading guilty. The points land on your PennDOT record, your insurance can rise for years, and some violations trigger a suspension or a CDL disqualification on their own. Many corridor citations can be reduced to a non-point violation or beaten at the summary trial.
The summary trial is held before the magisterial district judge with jurisdiction over the place the citation was written, so the case stays in that county. In most instances we can appear for you and negotiate with the citing officer, which keeps out-of-town and commercial drivers off the road for a court date.
At 6 points PennDOT can require a written exam or a departmental hearing, and repeat 6-point accumulations bring escalating suspensions. At 11 points a suspension is automatic under § 1539. Two points come off for every 12 consecutive months without a violation.

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