Vehicle Fatalities in Maine Down So Far For Year

Vehicle fatalities are down on Maine roads so far this year.

According to Maine State Police, there had been 140 vehicle fatalities in the state as of Nov. 20. That’s down 14 percent from the same time last year.

Officials say the decline is probably due to a combination of factors.

Two possibilities could be the high price of gas earlier this year, which resulted in motorists driving less, and the upward trend of more drivers wearing seat belts.

Maine drivers also have been getting into fewer accidents in recent years.

The Maine Transportation Safety Coalition says there were 33,077 accidents last year, down from 42,581 a decade earlier.

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Information from: Morning Sentinel