Maine
Below is a list of the key highway safety laws in Maine. For more information, contact the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.
| No state law |
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Handheld Ban | All Cell Phone Ban | Text Messaging Ban | Crash Data |
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| School Bus Drivers | Novice Drivers | All Drivers | School Bus Drivers | Novice Drivers | |||||
| <18 (Primary) |
Yes (Primary) |
Covered under all driver ban | Yes | ||||||
Maine has passed a law making it against the law to drive while distracted in the state.
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Child Restraint Required unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Adult Safety Belt Permissible unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.) |
Maximum Fine 1st Offense |
| <40 lbs. in child safety seat; 40 - 80 lbs. and <8 yrs. in safety system that elevates child so that adult safety belt fits properly; <11 (and <100) in rear seat if available | 8 - 17 (or <18 yrs. and >4'9") | $50 (max. $250 for subsequent offenses) |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Per Se Laws for Drugs (Forbidding Prohibited Substances in Driver's Body) | DEC/DRE Programs (Providing Law Enforcement Training) |
| Yes | |
Source: State Highway Safety Office.
| Inc. Penalty for High BAC | Admin. License Susp. on 1st Offense | Limited Driving Privileges During Susp. | Ignition Interlocks | Vehicle and License Plate Sanctions | Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment | |||
| *Meeting Federal Requirements | ||||||||
| .15 | 90 days | Yes | Discretionary | Vehicle confiscation | Yes | Yes | ||
Sources: Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Learner Stage | Intermediate Stage | Full Privilege Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
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| Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
Min. Duration (Months) |
Required Supervised Driving Hours (Night Hours) |
Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
Nighttime Driving Restriction | Passenger Restriction (except family, unless noted) |
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| 15 | 6 | 35 (5) | 16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. | First 180 days–no pass. | 16 / 6 | |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Motorcyclists | Bicyclists | ||
| Universal Helmet Law (Year Enacted) | Partial Law | Universal Helmet Law Repealed | |
| Licensed <1 yr.; all passengers <18 |
1977 | <16 ($25 fine for 2nd or subsequent violation) |
|
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Length of Regular Renewal Cycle (Yrs.) | Provisions for Mature Drivers |
| 6 | >65: renewal every 4 yrs. 40-61: vision test at every other renewal >62: vision test at every renewal |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Type of Law | Who is Covered (Yrs.) | In What Seat | Maximum Fine 1st Offense |
| Primary | >18 | All | $50 |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway and State Highway Safety Office.
| State Law |
| Permitted |
Sources: Segway LLC and State Highway Safety Office.
| Checkpoints Conducted? | Frequency | Legality |
| Yes | Upheld under federal Constitution | |
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Rural Interstates | Urban Interstates | Other Limited Access Roads | |||
| Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
Cars (mph) |
Trucks (mph) |
| 75 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| Two limited access highways are posted at 55. | |||||
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Violation / State Law | Permitted Locations/Criteria | Citation Issued To / Liability | Image Taken | Penalties (Traditional Penalties) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed: Prohibited | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Red light: Prohibited | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Office.
| Violations Affected | Enhanced Penalties | Workers Must Be Present | Signs Must Be Present |
| Speeding | Double original fine | No | Yes |
Sources: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and State Highway Safety Office.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general information purposes only and is not to be considered legal authority. For clarification on any law, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.