Motorists who do not wear seat belts and are planning on driving anywhere in Maine in the next week or so, might want to reconsider that decision.

Law enforcement officials throughout the state will be cracking down on seat belt law offenders handing out violations with fines of $62.50. But money alone should not be the only consideration when it comes time to buckle up, they say.

According to Carl Holman of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, since 1994, 55.4 percent of people who died in passenger vehicles on Maine highways were not wearing seat belts.

In the largest seat belt enforcement effort ever launched in the state, police began a two-week program to persuade motorists to “Buckle Up – No Excuses” this week. Franklin County law enforcement officials will be joining 77 other agencies throughout the state who received federal grants to educate the public about seat belt safety.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department is teaming up with local and state police to step up efforts to enforce seat belt violations and educate the public about the benefits of seat belt use. The Sheriff’s Department along with Farmington, Jay and State Police, will be participating in seat belt safety enforcement activities until June 6.

“Seat belt usage in Maine is one of the lowest in the country and the goal of this enforcement – public education – effort is to save lives, reduce injuries and improve that ranking,” said Maine Commissioner of Public Safety, Michael P. Cantara. “Maine has the third worst percentage of seat belt use in the country, followed only by New Hampshire and Massachusetts,” he said in a written statement.

In 2002, the most recent survey, seat belt compliance was at 59 percent. The national average is 79. The worst offenders in Maine are men between the ages of 18 and 34 and adults over 60.

Jay police are focusing their campaign on younger drivers.

In a written statement, Jay Chief Larry White said, “Teens and young adults are killed at far higher rates in crashes because they are caught in a lethal intersection of inexperience, risk-taking and low safety belt use. These tragedies are predictable and, therefore, preventable, using proven techniques like high visibility enforcement mobilizations.”

Franklin County officials will also be enforcing Maine’s Child Passenger Safety laws during this period. Maine law requires that children under the age of 8 and less than 80 pounds be secured in a federally-approved child safety seat. Children under the age of 12 and less than 100 pounds must ride in the back seat if possible. This Booster Seat Law has been in effect since 2003 though many parents and child-care providers are not aware of it or are using child restraints incorrectly.

Authorities in northern Franklin County said they will be stopping all vehicles at a seat belt checkpoint in Kingfield on June 3 to assure seat belt use and check on child passenger safety seats. Violators of the law will be issued a summons.

jhausen@sunjournal.com

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