Maine State Police will use their aircraft, unmarked cruisers, and additional troopers, starting Fri., June 29 and continue through the July fourth holiday week in an effort to keep motorists safe.
State Police Chief Colonel Robert Williams said troopers will be looking for aggressive and impaired drivers.
In addition, the chief has ordered a crackdown on distracted driving and seat belt enforcement and those efforts will continue throughout the summer.
Williams said, “Too many drivers are ignoring common sense by either texting or not using their seat belts and state troopers will be paying special attention to those violations throughout the summer.
Too many people are dying on Maine roads not using their seat belts and too many drivers are not paying attention to what they are doing,” he said.
The chief said, “July and August are the busiest months on Maine roads and usually are the deadliest. State Police will be joined by 50 local police departments and sheriff offices looking for drunk drivers through Labor Day in a coordinated effort.”
The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety has awarded $250,000 of federal highway funding to those agencies to pay for additional patrols this summer looking for impaired drivers.
As of June 28, 72 people have died on Maine roads during the year. That number is lower than the 10-year average, but higher than at this time last year, which turned out to be the safest year on Maine roads since 1959.
June has been a deadly month with 21 deaths (as of today), compared to 10 deaths for the month last year.
