The Maine State Police will step up traffic enforcement, with additional troopers on patrol and the agency’s plane in the air, for the long Thanksgiving weekend.
The chief of the Maine State Police, Col. Robert Williams, said troopers will be looking for aggressive, impaired, and texting drivers.
In addition, troopers will look for seat-belt violators after a rash of fatal crashes this month in which occupants were not buckled up. Williams said in six of the past 10 highway deaths the crash victims were not wearing seat belts and died after being thrown out of the vehicles.
The chief cautioned drivers to be prepared for sudden winter driving conditions over the weekend as falling temperatures can result in ice and snow on the roadways.
The four-day Thanksgiving weekend traditionally has been a deadly one on Maine roads. There have been at least four deaths in each of the past four Thanksgiving weekends.