As part of the summer speed reduction awareness and high-visibility enforcement campaign, the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety is working in conjunction with the other New England Highway Safety offices in a combined effort to slow drivers down. The New England Drive to Save Lives campaign calls on all drivers to recognize speeding as an unnecessary and aggressive driving behavior that endangers all road users.

Communities across America are affected every year by fatalities that occur in speeding-related crashes. In 2024, there were 11,288 speed-related traffic fatalities, accounting for 29% of all traffic fatalities, according to MBHS, in a news release. Young drivers have a higher chance of being involved in speeding-related crashes.

In 2024, 39% of male drivers and 20% of female drivers in the 15- to 20-year-old age group involved in fatal traffic crashes were speeding.

Between July 6 and the 31st, from Aroostook County to York County, more than 47 law enforcement agencies will continue to conduct high visibility speed enforcement to save lives and reduce speeding and aggressive driving. Law enforcement will be out reminding drivers to slow down and drive with care. Drivers should plan to leave sooner to allow more time to arrive, without rushing.

“The seconds that you save by speeding are not significant enough to risk your safety or that of anyone sharing the road with you," said Maine Highway Safety Director Lauren Stewart. "Crashes are significantly more dangerous resulting in death or serious injury when speeding is involved. Everyone wants to arrive at their destination safely.”

From Maine to Connecticut, New England is reminding drivers to Drive to Save Lives across the region. Whether you’re vacationing in another state or having a staycation, please slow down, and take your time getting to your destination this summer.

Chief Matt Cummings of the Fort Fairfield Police Department said: "Keeping Maine safe isn't just a job for law enforcement, it's a shared commitment across our entire community. When you slow down on our local roads, you aren't just following the law; you are actively protecting your neighbors, our children, and the character of our town. Let’s work together to keep our streets safe for everyone."

Speeding is an aggressive and deadly behavior. It reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around another vehicle, pedestrian, hazardous objects, or an unexpected curve. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), local roads are more dangerous than highways for speeders. It's a common misconception that speeding is an interstate-related issue: In fact, in 2024, 87% of all speeding-related traffic fatalities in the United States occurred on routes other than interstates.

“Every mile per hour matters," said Sgt. Josh Stewart of the Kittery Police Department. "Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to react, increases stopping distance, and turns a preventable crash into a deadly one. As Maine’s roads become busier during the summer months, we urge drivers to slow down, stay alert and help ensure everyone arrives safely to their destinations.”

The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety is reminding drivers to Drive to Save Lives this month.

"Spend your time on the way to your destination, enjoying all of the beauty New England has to offer, not speeding through it," said MBHS. "From the lighthouses across Maine’s coastline, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, Vermont’s Moss Glen Falls, Massachusetts’s Fenway Park, a ferry ride from Point Judith in Rhode Island, to Connecticut’s Gillette Castle State Park, slow down, and enjoy your drive."