Why Are Car Crash Deaths Down 2% Nationally, But Up 35% In Maine?

It almost doesn't seem possible does it? We've passed laws against driving and using cell phones in any way, shape, or form. We've got strict OUI laws... But yet, fatalities on Maine roads are up 35% compared to the national average. However, all may not be quite as it seems.

According to WGME - TV13, the National Safety Council reports Maine had the highest jump nationwide in car related deaths. Across the country, numbers actually went down 2% from last year, and 4% from the year before. But Maine saw the highest jump in the country of 35%.

But the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, that number needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The state doesn't prefer to look at these figures every single year. The state looks at numbers from the last five years, and gets an average from that. For instance, 2018 was a much lower year than normal, but 2019 was more normal.

That would cause a one year jump of 35%, whereas a look at the last five years would produce a more reasonable looking number. Plus, we had a major spike in the number of pedestrian fatalities in 2019. So that factors in as well.

No matter what, anyone's goal should be zero fatalities. But all we can do as an individual, is to drive as safely as possible. The lower we can keep that number, obviously, the better. There's lots of great things for the state of Maine to be known for, but this isn't one of them. Let's do better, shall we?