AUGUSTA — The Rockland Police Department and Knox County Sheriff's Office are joining the Maine State Police and 64 other municipal and county law enforcement agencies this Memorial Day weekend in stepping up enforcement of the state's seat belt and other driving laws.

The participating agencies will split $226,000 in federal highway funding to conduct overtime seat belt law enforcement patrols, according to a Maine Department of Public Safety press release Wednesday.

The campaign started May 19, and coincides with a national effort that will continue through June 1.

According to state Highway Safety Director Lauren Stewart, half of last year's fatal crashes in Maine involved drivers who were not wearing seat belts.

Two people were killed in traffic crashes during Memorial Day weekend last year in Maine, and three people died during the holiday weekend in 2012.

"Although most of the state's drivers use their seat belts, there is a minority who haven't gotten the message," said Stewart. "The two-week 'buckle up-no excuses' campaign will target those violators."

In addition to the stepped-up seat belt enforcement effort, State Police plan more than 40 different activities of their own through the weekend as part of its annual Memorial Day safety efforts.

In the release, State Police Col. Robert Williams said troopers will also be on the lookout for drunk and distracted drivers and aggressive driving, including use of the State Police airplane to fly over Maine's major highways to look for violators from the air.

"Memorial Day sets the tone for the summer driving season and our goal is to make it a safe one," said Williams in the release.

Added to the enforcement effort will be 50 of the state's newest state, municipal and county police officers, who graduate Friday, May 23, from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro. According to the release, many of those new officers will be on duty across the state this weekend.

Sheriff's offices participating in the special law enforcement funding:

Androscoggin County, Aroostook County, Cumberland County, Franklin County, Hancock County, Kennebec County, Knox County, Lincoln County and Sagadahoc County.

Cities and towns participating in the special law enforcement funding:

Auburn, Augusta, Bath, Berwick, Biddeford, Bridgton, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Caribou, Cumberland, Dexter, Dixfield, Dover Foxcroft, Eliot, Ellsworth, Farmington, Fort Fairfield, Gardiner, Gorham, Hampden, Houlton, Jay, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Lewiston, Lisbon, Livermore Falls, Madawaska, Mechanic Falls, Mexico, Milbridge, Monmouth, Newport, North Berwick, Oakland, Old Orchard Beach, Old Town, Orono, Paris, Portland, Rockland, Rumford, Sabattus, Saco, Sanford, Scarborough, Skowhegan, South Portland, Topsham, Veazie, Waterville, Wells, Westbrook, Wilton, Wndham, Winslow and York.