State police step up highway patrol over Thanksgiving holiday with cruisers, airplane

Tue, 11/22/2016 - 12:15pm

    Maine State Police plan to have additional troopers on patrol and their plane in the air for the long Thanksgiving weekend. Colonel Robert Williams said troopers will be looking for aggressive, impaired and texting drivers.

    In addition, troopers will be looking for seatbelt violators following a rash of fatal crashes this month in which occupants were not buckled up. Williams said in six of the past 10 highway deaths the crash victims were not wearing seat belts and died after being thrown out of the vehicles.

    The chief cautioned drivers to be prepared for sudden winter driving conditions over the weekend as falling temperatures can result in ice and snow on the roadways.

    The four-day Thanksgiving weekend traditionally has been a deadly one on Maine roads. There have been at least four deaths in each of the past four Thanksgiving weekends, according to state police.