Maine State Police upping enforcement of proper yielding on I-95

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - With a banner year expected for tourism in Maine, roads across the state will be busier than many drivers are accustomed to.

Maine State Police are working to make people aware in hopes you can avoid an accident.

There is an emphasis on yielding correctly when merging onto the interstate.

Lt. Michael Johnston says many people are doing it wrong, and that’s not safe.

He says it’s a good time for a refresher on the rules of the road.

“The interstate is designated a thruway, which means if you’re entering the interstate on one of the ramps, you have a legal responsibility to yield to traffic that’s already on the interstate,” said Lt. Michael Johnston, Maine State Police. “In the past, people will expect traffic on the interstate to move over to the passing lane or the adjacent lane, and while I think traffic oftentimes does that as a courtesy to allow people on the ramp, we’ve seen some people expect it, and they don’t really follow their obligation to yield.”

Johnston says in the past five years, 25,000 crashes in Maine have resulted from improper yielding.

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