HPD to step up seatbelt checks

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The state’s campaign to crack down on motorists who do not wear their seat belts has received a boost from the federal government when Maine received $545,272 in federal highway safety money to be funneled through the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety to step up enforcement of the state’s seat belt law.
    According to Steve McCausland, public safety director for the Maine State Police, “Many of Maine’s police departments have beefed up enforcement of the state’s seat belt laws. 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 began Monday and ends on June 6.”
    The Houlton Police Department received $5,040 in grant money, while the Maine State Police received $10,000.
    A total of 66 police departments, 11 sheriff’s offices and state police will participate in a summer long effort of increased highway safety enforcement, beginning with the seat belt campaign. 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, according to Lauren Stewart, director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.
    “The last two years have been the safest on Maine roads in the past 50 years,” Stewart said. “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.