Maine State Police plan to utilize additional troopers, unmarked cruisers and their airplane in traffic enforcement efforts centered around the upcoming July 4th holiday weekend.
The Chief of the State Police, Colonel Robert Williams, said the first two weeks of July are traditionally one of the busiest times on Maine roads because of vacationers.
“State Police will be looking for aggressive and impaired drivers and enforcing Maine’s seat belt and texting laws,” Williams said, adding because of high traffic volume, July and August are two of the deadliest months on Maine roads. The additional enforcement will continue through Labor Day.
The chief said State Police are one of 68 Maine police departments utilizing $643,000 in federal highway safety funding to pay for additional patrols looking for drunk and impaired drivers. State Police are using that money to fund some of the additional enforcement efforts.
The money was distributed through the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.
Williams said, as of today, Maine highway deaths are down 16 percent from the same time a year ago. The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety reports there have been 50 highway deaths this year, compared to 58 a year ago; 2014 was the safest year on Maine roads since 1944.
