Re: “Our View: Time for a road safety intervention” (Jan. 1, Page D2):
The point, in the Press Herald’s editorial last Sunday, is well taken, but you have missed the low-hanging fruit – in my view.
I have attached my response to Lauren Stewart, director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, quoted in the excellent article by your reporter Megan Gray headlined “Traffic deaths in Maine hit 15-year high in 2022” (Dec. 29, Page A1).
Speed is the obvious critical cause, and it is crucial to address that, but all incidents usually have multiple causes, and you failed in your editorial to address the lack of seat belts in the fatalities. I’d like to see public service spots flooding the state, addressing the issues of speed, distracted driving and lack of seat belts. Enforcement is difficult in congestion, as on Interstate 295, as it can cause incidents as well with collisions in backed-up traffic, etc.
I just see the seat belt issue as low-hanging fruit and was surprised, as seat belts have been available for generations now, to see this degree of noncompliance.
Jonathan F. Shute
Topsham
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