Maine law enforcement will start a two week campaign Monday, May 22, to beef up enforcement of Maine's seat belt laws. In addition, special enforcement efforts are planned Monday afternoon and evening in Maine and New Hampshire as the two states coordinate their enforcement activities, according to a news release from the Maine Dept. of Public Safety. The two-week campaign is called Click It or Ticket and the Monday effort is called Border to Border.

"As we kick-off the busy summer driving season, it is critical that everyone buckles up, day and night – no excuses," said Colonel Robert Williams, Chief of the Maine State Police, in the release. "Troopers are prepared to ticket anyone who is not wearing their seat belt, including drivers who have neglected to buckle their children."

At 4 p.m. on May 22, Maine police officers will join law enforcement agencies across half of the United States in mobilizing the Click It or Ticket (CIOT) "Border to Border" Operation.

Law enforcement agencies will join forces to provide increased seat belt enforcement at state borders including on Maine Routes 1, 2 and 3. The Route 1 effort is from Brunswick to Rockland, Route 2 from New Hampshire to Pittsfield, and Route 3 from Augusta to Belfast.

The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety has provided $313,403 to 45 Maine police agencies to pay for overtime to participate in the two week effort.

"Seat belts save dozens of Maine lives every year, but some motorists are still not buckling up, especially at night when the risk of getting in a crash is greater," said Lauren Stewart, Director of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety. " Buckling up is not optional; it's the difference between life and death in a crash. That's why law enforcement is out there enforcing the law."

Stewart said although seat belts usage in Maine is very high, the numbers from fatal crashes during the past year is another story -- 42 percent of those killed during the day were unbelted and 65 percent during nighttime fatal crashes.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 9,874 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2015 were not wearing their seat belts.

The Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization runs from May 22 to June 4.

The Maine police agencies taking part in the Click It or Ticket campaign are –
Auburn PD
Augusta PD
Bangor PD
Berwick PD
Bridgton PD
Brunswick PD
Bucksport PD
Cape Elizabeth PD
Caribou PD
Cumberland SO
Eliot PD
Ellsworth PD
Farmington PD
Fort Kent PD
Gorham PD
Hampden PD
Houlton PD
Jay PD
Kennebec SO
Kittery PD
Knox County SO
Lewiston PD
Lincoln County SO
Lisbon PD
Maine State Police
Mexico PD
Monmouth PD
Norway PD
Oakland PD
Old Orchard Beach PD
Old Town PD
Orono PD
Oxford PD
Portland PD
Presque Isle PD
Rumford PD
Sagadahoc County SO
Scarborough PD
South Portland PD
Topsham PD
Westbrook PD
Wiscasset PD
Yarmouth PD
York PD