Maine police agencies to press Buckle Up campaign

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For the fourth consecutive year, Maine police agencies are uniting to convince drivers to use their safety belts.

The two-week campaign, called Buckle Up – No Excuses, began Monday in Augusta with a news conference and representatives of some of the 81 police departments involved.

The Maine effort coincides with the national Click It or Ticket campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Lauren Stewart, director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, said Monday in a news release that her agency has funneled $162,000 to the police departments to assist them with the additional enforcement.

Maine’s overall safety belt usage rate stands at 77 percent.

“Although safety belt use in Maine is up, the state still lags behind the national average of 81 percent and the Buckle Up – No Excuses campaign is an important reminder of the value of safety belts,” Stewart said.

Public Safety Commissioner Anne Jordan said Maine still has a secondary enforcement provision for this campaign, which means a police officer cannot issue a seat belt ticket unless the motorist has been stopped for another violation.

The following police agencies in the BDN coverage area are participating in the effort with funding from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety:

Bar Harbor $2,000.

Brewer $2,000.

Bucksport $2,000.

Camden $2,000.

Caribou $2,000.

Clinton $1,920.

Ellsworth $2,000.

Fort Kent $2,000.

Hampden $1,996.40

Hancock County Sheriff’s Office $2,000.

Holden $2,000.

Limestone $1,800.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office $1,998.

Lincoln $1,927.10.

Lincolnville $2,000.

Madawaska $2,000.

Maine State Police $12,000.

Milbridge $1,500.

Millinocket $1,971.20.

Mount Desert $1,734.

Newport $1,914.

Orono $1,964.40.

Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office $1,984.

Penobscot Nation $2,000.

Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office $2,000.

Pittsfield $1,876.80.

Presque Isle $2,000.

Rockland $1,978.20.

Thomaston $1,950.

Waldo County Sheriff’s Office $1,728.