AUGUSTA, Maine — With Memorial Day weekend approaching, police throughout the state are stepping up enforcement of seat belt laws in anticipation of a busy weekend of travel on the state’s highways.
Approximately 68 police agencies, including state police, are splitting $226,000 in federal highway safety funding to enforce seat belt laws, according to spokesman Stephen McCausland.
The campaign coincides with a national effort running through June 1 that started on Monday.
In addition to the seat belt enforcement, state police are planning more than 40 enforcement activities as part as their annual Memorial Day safety efforts.
Troopers will be on the lookout for drunk and distracted drivers, aggressive drivers and seat belt violators.
A state police aircraft also will be flying over the state’s major highways seeking violators from the air.
Two people died on Maine roadways during the Memorial Day holiday in 2013 and three died in crashes over the weekend in 2012.
