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Maine says: Buckle up!

Law tightens down on seatbelt and cell phone laws for minors

By Kathleen Dame

Posted on Thursday, September 27th, 2007, 12:00 am

Maine’s legislature passed two laws which will directly affect University of Maine drivers. The new laws govern drivers’ use of seat belts and cell phones while driving. Lawmakers expect these laws to reduce fatalities and the seriousness of injuries sustained in automobile accidents.

According to the current legislation, officers may only issue a citation if they discover a seat belt wasn’t used once they have already “detained the operator of a motor vehicle for a suspected violation of another law.” With the new law, failure to wear a seat belt may be cited as the primary reason for an officer to pull a driver over. The law goes into effect on April 1, 2008.

Before this law, employees and students driving school vehicles are required to make sure that everyone in the vehicle is buckled. UMaine public safetey officer Paul Paradis said “We are planning some educational safety checkpoints at various spots on the campus, as a method of informing people.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Maine’s 2006 seat belt usage reached about 77 percent.

The new cell phone law also hopes to reduce vehicle related deaths and injuries.

While few students at UMaine are under the age of 18, the law should help heighten drivers’ overall awareness of safe driving practices.

The law primarily prohibits the use of cell phones although devices such as PDAs, laptops, and handheld gaming devices are also included in the restriction. The law still allows drivers to use personal music devices such as iPods or CD players while driving.

Once the electronic device law goes into effect, violators will be fined $50 for their first offense and $250 for repeat offenses.

More information on these new laws may be found at the Maine state Web site, http://www.maine.gov.