Hancock County holds the dismal distinction of having eight fatal traffic accidents since June 12. Police are stepping up enforcement and advising prudent driving, but there are obstacles.

One trouble is the explosive increase in the number of vehicles on the highways, especially through the tourist season. Many of the drivers are from out of state and are unfamiliar with the twists and turns of Routes 1A, between Bangor and Ellsworth, and Route 1 from Ellsworth Down East, the scenes of many of the collisions.

Another is a shortage of troopers. Lt. Chris Coleman, commander of Troop J, which covers Hancock and Washington counties, recognizes that police presence reminds motorists to respect speed limits and mind their driving. Yet the unit has only 15 troopers, who must find time for patrolling and enforcement while handling service calls that now number more than 8,000 a year. When the troop was founded 25 years ago, it had 14 troopers, who handled only 2,000 service calls a year. So, these days, drivers rarely see a police cruiser.

Lt. Coleman blames driver inattention or distraction as well as speed for the accident toll. He says that too many drivers eat, talk with other passengers or chat on a cell phone while driving. He advises motorists to leave plenty of room ahead and behind their vehicle. If a car behind you is tailgating, he advises pulling over and letting it pass. For any prolonged cell phone conversation, he also advises pulling off the road.

He notes particularly that a driver planning a left turn should leave the front wheels straight ahead until oncoming traffic thins and he or she can make the turn. If the wheels are turned left while waiting, a rear-end collision can shove the car into the path of approaching traffic.

Another safety measure advised by driving teachers is to avoid backing out of a parking space in a parking lot. The way to do that is to find a double space and drive through to the second space.

Regardless of police enforcement and careful driving, there will always be collisions as long as we have vehicles racing toward each other at 50 or 60 miles an hour on narrow roads with only a centerline to suggest the danger of a head-on crash.

A few more troopers would help. And motorists interested in maximizing their chances will do well to watch for the next local safe driving course offered from time to time by the Maine Motor Vehicle Department, the AAA or the AARP.