Media report on UMaine research about speeding during the pandemic
WABI (Channel 5 in Bangor), the Daily Bulldog and Bangor Daily News shared a University of Maine study that showed speeding increased on Maine’s rural roads during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. states across the country reported an increase in the rate of fatal and severe car accidents despite the decrease in traffic volume. When stay-at-home orders were put in place, not only were there fewer drivers on the road, but less enforcement of traffic laws. “Speeding is a contributing factor in many fatal or severe crashes, so recognizing that speeding has significantly increased suggests the importance of exploring countermeasures or interventions to reduce the speed,” said Ali Shirazi, principal investigator of the project and assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Maine.