MAINE —Traffic in Maine will soon start picking up with the arrival of the summer tourism season, but it has already been a deadly year on Maine roads.
According to Maine Department of Public Safety data, 42 people have died on Maine roads this year as of May 7. That is up from 29 deaths over the same time period last year but down from the 50 people who died between Jan. 1 and May 7 in 2022. It is the second-highest total since at least 2020.
All these tragic deaths could have been prevented, sparing grief and heartache for their loved ones left behind,” said Lauren Stewart, the director of the Bureau of Highway Safety. “These are not merely numbers; these are real people with friends and families that will miss them forever.”
May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month, National Bicycle Safety Month and Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and Memorial Day kicks off what is known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, which is the span of days between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Data from the state for 2023 shows that 16 motorcycle riders were killed and 20 pedestrians died. Teen drivers accounted for 9% of Maine’s motor vehicle crashes and 9% of motor vehicle deaths in 2023.
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