Maine Ranks 6th Most Dangerous State for Memorial Day Travel

Memorial Day weekend is quickly approaching and millions of Americans are getting ready to travel. A new study is actually putting Maine in the spotlight, but not in a good way.   

According to an analysis by Allen Law Firm which used National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, Maine ranks as the 6th most dangerous state in the country for highway travel during the Memorial Day period. 

What did the study look at? Basically it visited the fatal crashes on the interstates, U.S. highways, and state roads during the popular three day weekend.

The travel window was from 2019-2024.

In that time, as per the data, Maine recorded 9 highway fatalities during the holiday weekend, which equals 6.39 fatalities per 1 million residents.  

The study placed Maine behind states like Arkansas, Louisiana, and South Carolina, but still in the top 10 nationwide.

The folks that researched this also found that on Interstate 295 in Maine stood out as the deadliest stretch during the holiday travel period.

This also includes several state and U.S. routes like Route 1, Route 2, Route 9, and Route 22.  

The takeaway isn’t meant to scare drivers, but to educate and make sure we all understand how quickly holiday traffic can turn dangerous.

Especially since Maine has such a mix of rural highways and high speed areas.  

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Here’s what you need to know:  

Simple habits like wearing a seatbelt, avoiding distractions like phones, planning extra time for travel, and never ever driving impaired could make a major difference during the busiest travel weekend of the year.  

Stay cautious because that can go a long way in keeping this Memorial Day weekend safe for all of our families!