Hopefully everyone in Maine had a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. After all, it is the unofficial kickoff to summertime here in the Pine Tree State.

Summer in Maine means boating, swimming, kayaking, camping, fishing and so much more. But more than that, it also means increased deaths. Whoops, did that take you by surprise? Well, it shouldn't have.

According to a recent press release by the Maine Department of Public Safety, the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are considered to be the 100 deadliest days for drivers on Maine roadways.

The release goes on to say that this is the period of the year where Maine State Police and other rescue agencies see a large uptick in the number of motor vehicle crashes that they respond to. A lot of that has to do with new and teen drivers according to the release.

The Maine Department of Public Safety shows data that the number of Summertime fatal crashes is actually trending downward, at least over the last three years.

In 2019, they report that there were 60 fatal crashes between Memorial Day and Labor Day in which 66 people died.

In 2020 there was a total of 58 fatal crashes between Memorial Day and Labor Day in which a total of 61 people died.

Last year (2021) the Maine Department of Public Safety reported that there was a total of 45 fatal crashes between Memorial Day and Labor Day in which 46 people lost their lives.

So even though the number of fatalities is trending down, which is a good thing, it is still important to remind drivers, especially new drivers and teens, to pay full attention when driving and put the distractions aside.

Maine Department of Public Safety
Maine Department of Public Safety
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The release from the Maine Department of Public Safety

Maine Department of Public Safety 2
Maine Department of Public Safety 2
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