Many of Maine’s police departments are beefing up enforcement of the state’s seat belt laws, called “Click It, or Ticket,” including the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Dept., and the Damariscotta and Waldoboro Police Departments.
The Maine agencies are joining their counterparts across the county in the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign, aimed at increasing seat belt usage as the summer driving season begins with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. The two week campaign runs May 24 to June 6.
The Director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, Lauren Stewart, said 66 police departments, 11 sheriffs offices and State Police will participate in a summer long effort of increased highway safety enforcement, beginning with the seat belt campaign.
Stewart said the police departments will share in $545,272 in federal highway safety money, funneled through her agency.
In addition to the seat belt enforcement effort, the money will be used to fund overtime to increase police patrols looking for drunk drivers, speeders and aggressive drivers. Maine’s seat belt usage rate was 82.6 percent in 2009, which is very close to the national average of 83 percent.
Stewart said, “The last two years have been the safest on Maine roads in the past 50 years. Much of the credit goes to the state’s police agencies for their continued efforts to make our roads safe. This year’s federal funding of over a half million dollars will continue those enforcement efforts for the entire summer driving season.”
Stewart said 159 people were killed on Maine roads during 2009 and there were 155 highway deaths in 2008 – both the safest years on Maine roads since 1959, when 136 deaths were reported. Stewart said there have been 42 highway deaths so far this year, which compares to 44 deaths at this time during 2009.
Participating law enforcement departments increasing summer enforcements includes Lincoln County Sheriff’s office ($10,000 award), Damariscotta Police Dept. ($6330 award), and the Waldoboro Police Dept. ($8580 award).
