Transportation Performance Management

State Highway Safety Report (2021) - Maine

The following provides a summary of the Highway Safety Improvement Program's (HSIP) safety performance measures and State safety performance targets. As per the Safety PM Final Rule, States are required to set annual safety performance targets in the HSIP annual report for the number of fatalities, rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), number of serious injuries, rate of serious injures per 100 million VMT, and number of non-motorized fatalities and serious injuries. The safety performance targets are based on 5-year rolling averages. States have the flexibility to use the methodology they deem most appropriate when establishing safety performance targets. FHWA encourages States to review data sets and trends and consider factors that may affect targets. The safety performance targets should be data-driven, realistic, and attainable and should align with the performance management framework and legislative intent.

A State Department of Transportation (DOT) has met or made significant progress towards meeting its safety performance targets when at least four of the five safety performance targets established under 23 CFR 490.209(a) have been met or the actual outcome is better than the baseline performance. The baseline performance is the 5-year average ending with the year prior to the establishment of the target.

The Basis for Target and Additional Comments are provided by the State in their HSIP Annual Report and have not been edited by FHWA. Any questions about individual State reports should be directed to the respective State DOT. For additional information about each State's HSIP, the complete reports are available at https://highways.dot.gov/safety/hsip/reporting.

More information and resources on Safety Performance Management are available at https://highways.dot.gov/safety/hsip/spm/safety-performance-management-safety-pm-overview.

All State data used to populate the State Highway Safety Reports for 2021 are available for download at https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/tpm/reporting/state/tpm_dashboard_data.zip.

• 

  Number of Fatalities

• Number of Fatalities	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	156	160	173	136	157	164	153
  5-Year Average					156.4	158.0	156.6
  Target (5-Year Average)							158.0	160.0	160.0

• Basis for Number of Fatalities Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  The following factors are likely to influence the ability of Maine to meet previous safety performance targets and need to be considered for future projections: • Maine’s annual VMT in 2020 is projected to be approximately 20% lower than originally estimated due to the social distancing and stay-home orders during the Covid-19 pandemic period which saw sharp decreases in VMT beginning in March and continuing through the middle of May. There is significant uncertainty surrounding the time it will take to “return to normal”, however, particularly with respect to tourist traffic as visitors cancel plans for vacationing in Maine in the summer of 2020. Based on Maine’s experience with recovery from the economic downturn of 2009, we will also set the projected 2021 VMT at 10% lower than 2019 actual VMT. • Maine’s economy and fuel prices have been and will continue to be affected by Covid-19 economic impacts on both businesses and citizens’ household finances. The tourism industry will be heavily impacted for the rest of 2020 and likely into early 2021. • Multi-agency safety efforts will continue to be refined and focused on primary serious crash trends such as lane departure and pedestrians • Based on recruitment difficulties along with state and local budgetary constraints, law enforcement agencies will continue to experience staffing challenges, reducing the effective crash-reducing impact that their on-road presence has. • Impaired driving is a growing concern both due to legalization of marijuana and increased illicit drug usage. That growing impairment problems translates to serious crash exposures. • Maine Fatality data has varied widely during the 2019 Benchmark Performance (2015-2019) period ranging from 139 in 2018 to 172 in 2017. The 5-year average was 156.4 through the period. Despite the lower VMT experienced this year during the Covid-19 stay-at-home period, Maine's 5-year fatality rate continues to trend slightly upward for the period with 2020 fatal numbers as of April 30, 2020 being near Maine’s 2019 fatal numbers at the same point in time. • MaineDOT suggests setting the 2021 fatalities target assuming a slight decrease from the 2020 target, but an increase in 2021 fatal rate target because this metric will be impacted by the expected 20% reduction in traffic in 2020 and 10% reduction in traffic in 2021.

  Maine Fatality data has varied widely during the 2020 Benchmark Performance (2016-2020) period ranging from 139 in 2018 to 172 in 2017. The 5-year average was 158.2 through the period. A significantly lower VMT experienced in 2020 due to the pandemic combined with the 2nd highest fatality count during the benchmark period has contributed to the highest fatality rate in Maine since 2006. This will likely result in the 5-year fatality rate continuing to trend upward. 2021 fatal numbers as of May 31, 2021 are thankfully lower than 2020 numbers at the same point in time but not low enough to mitigate the high 2020 fatality rate.

  Maine Fatality data has varied widely during the 2022 Benchmark Performance Period (2017-2021) ranging from 139 in 2018 to 172 in 2017. The 5-year average was 156.8 through the period. A significantly lower VMT experienced in 2020 due to the pandemic combined with the 2nd highest fatality count during the benchmark period has contributed to the highest fatality rate in Maine since 2006. This will likely result in the 5-year fatality rate continuing to trend upward. The 2022 fatality count as of April 30, 202s is significantly higher than at this point in 2021. Speed, distraction, operating under the influence, and not wearing passenger restraints all have contributed to the increase. Maine is setting its 2023 fatality target equal to the 2022 target and will likely continue to hold it level until this upward trend in fatality counts is reversed.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Fatalities: 2015-2020 Final FARS, 2021 FARS Annual Report File
  Targets: 2020-2022 Maine HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Fatality Rate (per 100 million VMT)

• Fatality Rate (per 100 million VMT)	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	1.07	1.08	1.17	0.92	1.06	1.25	1.05
  5-Year Average					1.060	1.096	1.090
  Target (5-Year Average)							1.120	1.120	1.120

• Basis for Fatality Rate Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  The following factors are likely to influence the ability of Maine to meet previous safety performance targets and need to be considered for future projections: • Maine’s annual VMT in 2020 is projected to be approximately 20% lower than originally estimated due to the social distancing and stay-home orders during the Covid-19 pandemic period which saw sharp decreases in VMT beginning in March and continuing through the middle of May. There is significant uncertainty surrounding the time it will take to “return to normal”, however, particularly with respect to tourist traffic as visitors cancel plans for vacationing in Maine in the summer of 2020. Based on Maine’s experience with recovery from the economic downturn of 2009, we will also set the projected 2021 VMT at 10% lower than 2019 actual VMT. • Maine’s economy and fuel prices have been and will continue to be affected by Covid-19 economic impacts on both businesses and citizens’ household finances. The tourism industry will be heavily impacted for the rest of 2020 and likely into early 2021. • Multi-agency safety efforts will continue to be refined and focused on primary serious crash trends such as lane departure and pedestrians • Based on recruitment difficulties along with state and local budgetary constraints, law enforcement agencies will continue to experience staffing challenges, reducing the effective crash-reducing impact that their on-road presence has. • Impaired driving is a growing concern both due to legalization of marijuana and increased illicit drug usage. That growing impairment problems translates to serious crash exposures. • Maine Fatality data has varied widely during the 2019 Benchmark Performance (2015-2019) period ranging from 139 in 2018 to 172 in 2017. The 5-year average was 156.4 through the period. Despite the lower VMT experienced this year during the Covid-19 stay-at-home period, Maine's 5-year fatality rate continues to trend slightly upward for the period with 2020 fatal numbers as of April 30, 2020 being near Maine’s 2019 fatal numbers at the same point in time. • MaineDOT suggests setting the 2021 fatalities target assuming a slight decrease from the 2020 target, but an increase in 2021 fatal rate target because this metric will be impacted by the expected 20% reduction in traffic in 2020 and 10% reduction in traffic in 2021.

  Maine Fatality data has varied widely during the 2020 Benchmark Performance (2016-2020) period ranging from 139 in 2018 to 172 in 2017. The 5-year average was 158.2 through the period. A significantly lower VMT experienced in 2020 due to the pandemic combined with the 2nd highest fatality count during the benchmark period has contributed to the highest fatality rate in Maine since 2006. This will likely result in the 5-year fatality rate continuing to trend upward. 2021 fatal numbers as of May 31, 2021 are thankfully lower than 2020 numbers at the same point in time but not low enough to mitigate the high 2020 fatality rate.

  Maine has decided to set the 2023 target fatality rate equal to that of the 2022 target fatality rate for the same reasons the fatality count target was set level.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Fatalities: 2015-2020 Final FARS, 2021 FARS Annual Report File
  VMT: 2015-2021 FHWA Highway Statistics Series, VM-2 Table
  Targets: 2020-2022 Maine HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Number of Serious Injuries

• Number of Serious Injuries	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	754	746	728	685	689	607	710
  5-Year Average					720.4	691.0	683.8
  Target (5-Year Average)							725.0	715.0	710.0

• Basis for Number of Serious Injuries Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  • Serious Injuries (A) is one of Maine’s Safety Performance Areas that continues to show steady improvement over the years, but it too, has had erratic performance in the past. • Unlike 2020 fatalities, Maine has seen a slight reduction in the number of serious injuries during the Covid-19 pandemic measures. Uncertainty remains, however, as to the remainder of 2020 as motorists once again take to the state’s highways on a more frequent basis. • Recommended 2021 target is about equal with the 2019 Benchmark Performance (2015-2019) for this measure. As with fatal rates, we also are anticipating a slightly higher rate of serious injuries due to lower project VMT for 2020 and 2021.

  Serious Injuries (A) is one of Maine's Safety Performance Areas that continues to show steady improvement over the years, but it too, has had erratic performance in the past. The 5-year average serious injury benchmark performance was 691.6. Unlike fatalities, Maine experienced a reduction in the number of serious injuries and only a very small increase in the serious injury rate during 2020. There were approximately 80 fewer serious injuries on Maine's highways during 2020 which is very encouraging, and this helped to mitigate the impact of lower VMT last year on our serious injury rate. Despite the slight “bump in the road”; of 2020 our serious injury numbers and rates continue in a downward trend. Due to past performance, recommended 2022 targets have been set slightly lower than those established for 2021.

  Serious Injuries (A) counts have continued to show steady improvement over the years, but it too, has had erratic performance in the past. The 2022 Benchmark Performance (2017-2021) 5-year average for serious injuries 684.4, a slight decrease from the previous benchmark period. Maine did, however, see a slight increase in serious injuries in 2021 after experiencing substantially fewer in 2020 during the disruptions in traffic caused by COVID. The overall trend in recent years was downward, however, so Maine is taking an optimistic view that this downward trend will continue by setting a 2023 target slightly lower than the 2022 target.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Serious Injuries: 2022 Maine HSIP Annual Report
  Targets: 2020-2022 Maine HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Rate of Serious Injuries (per 100 million VMT)

• Rate of Serious Injuries (per 100 million VMT)	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	5.15	5.03	4.94	4.63	4.63	4.64	4.88
  5-Year Average					4.876	4.774	4.744
  Target (5-Year Average)							5.020	4.900	4.800

• Basis for Serious Injury Rate Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  • Serious Injuries (A) is one of Maine’s Safety Performance Areas that continues to show steady improvement over the years, but it too, has had erratic performance in the past. • Unlike 2020 fatalities, Maine has seen a slight reduction in the number of serious injuries during the Covid-19 pandemic measures. Uncertainty remains, however, as to the remainder of 2020 as motorists once again take to the state’s highways on a more frequent basis. • Recommended 2021 target is about equal with the 2019 Benchmark Performance (2015-2019) for this measure. As with fatal rates, we also are anticipating a slightly higher rate of serious injuries due to lower project VMT for 2020 and 2021.

  Serious Injuries (A) is one of Maine's Safety Performance Areas that continues to show steady improvement over the years, but it too, has had erratic performance in the past. The 5-year average serious injury benchmark performance was 691.6. Unlike fatalities, Maine experienced a reduction in the number of serious injuries and only a very small increase in the serious injury rate during 2020. There were approximately 80 fewer serious injuries on Maine's highways during 2020 which is very encouraging, and this helped to mitigate the impact of lower VMT last year on our serious injury rate. Despite the slight “bump in the road”; of 2020 our serious injury numbers and rates continue in a downward trend. Due to past performance, recommended 2022 targets have been set slightly lower than those established for 2021.

  Serious Injuries (A) rates in Maine have continued to show steady improvement over the years, and as with Serious Injury counts, Maine is taking an optimistic view that this downward trend will continue, and have actually set this rate slightly lower than our 2022 target.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Serious Injuries: 2022 Maine HSIP Annual Report
  VMT: 2015-2021 FHWA Highway Statistics Series, VM-2 Table
  Targets: 2020-2022 Maine HSIP Annual Reports

• 

  Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries

• Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
  Annual	83	93	97	80	80	59	82
  5-Year Average					86.6	81.8	79.6
  Target (5-Year Average)							89.0	87.0	85.0

• Basis for Number of Non-Motorized Fatalities and Serious Injuries Target

  • 2021 Target
  • 2022 Target
  • 2023 Target

  • As with statewide crash fatalities, this data has varied widely from year to year through the benchmark performance period, mainly due to the disparity observed from 2017 to 2018. Trends in 2020 indicate a slight move downward from our recent low in 2018 towards an average year from a non-motorized K&A perspective. • The 5-year Average for the 2015-2019 Benchmark Period was 86.6. It is hoped that our continued focused pedestrian outreach in 21 communities in Maine through STEP and HeadsUp programs will bring down our bike/ped fatality numbers and recommend setting a slightly lower target for 2021.

  As with statewide crash fatalities, this data has varied widely from year to year through the benchmark performance period, mainly due to the disparity observed from 2017 to 2018. The 2019 count matched that of 2018 which perhaps indicates progress. While the 2020 fatality count overall was high, these were largely motor-vehicle related crashes not involving non-motorized system users. Our 2020 non-motorized K&A count of 61 was our lowest in more than 17 years. The 5-year Average for the 2016-2020 Benchmark Period was 81.8, down from 86.6 during the previous evaluation period. It is hoped that our continued focused pedestrian outreach in Maine through STEP and HeadsUp programs will continue to bring down our bike/ped fatality numbers and I recommend setting a slightly lower target for 2022 than that of 2021.

  As with statewide crash fatalities, this data has varied widely from year to year through the benchmark performance period, mainly due to the disparity observed from 2017 to 2018. The 2019 count matched that of 2018 which perhaps indicates progress. While the 2020 fatality count overall was high, these were largely motor-vehicle related crashes not involving non-motorized system users. Our 2020 non-motorized K&A count of 61 was our lowest in more than 17 years though rose to 83 in 2021.The 5-year Average for the 2017-2021 Benchmark Period was 80.0, slightly lower than the previous evaluation period. It is hoped that our continued focused pedestrian outreach in Maine through STEP and HeadsUp programs will continue to bring down our bike/ped fatality numbers and I recommend setting a slightly lower target for 2023 than that of 2022.

  
  

• Data Sources:
  Fatalities: 2015-2020 Final FARS, 2021 FARS Annual Report File
  Serious Injuries: 2022 Maine HSIP Annual Report
  Targets: 2020-2022 Maine HSIP Annual Reports

Additional Comments

2022 Comments:

The following factors are likely to influence the ability of Maine to meet previous safety performance targets and need to be considered for future projections: Setting our 2021 Safety Performance Targets last year amid uncertainty the impact of Covid-19 would have on Maine’s 2020 and 2021 VMT, MaineDOT assumed a 20% reduction in traffic for 2020, and 10% reduction in 2021. While traffic was indeed seriously impacted in 2020, these assumptions have proven to be somewhat conservative when compared to our actual traffic experience. Maine’s 2020 VMT was approximately 12.48% lower than 2019 levels, and our current projection for 2021 VMT is 3-4% lower than that experienced in 2019. Although uncertainty remains as to when volumes will “return to normal”, it does appear to be headed in that direction. Maine’s economy has been and will continue to be affected by Covid-19 economic impacts on both businesses and citizens’ household finances. Fuel, food, and construction material prices have been rising steadily as of late. Labor shortages in many economic sectors exist right now. It remains to be seen how severely this could impact the tourism industry in Maine in 2021 and beyond, or whether these impacts may be mitigated by the public’s enthusiasm to travel again after spending most of 2020 at home. Multi-agency safety efforts will continue to be refined and focused on primary serious crash trends such as lane departure and pedestrians Based on recruitment difficulties along with state and local budgetary constraints, law enforcement agencies will continue to experience staffing challenges, reducing the effective crash-reducing impact that their on-road presence has. Impaired driving is a growing concern both due to legalization of marijuana and increased illicit drug usage. That growing impairment problems translates to serious crash exposures.

Safety Performance Target Assessment

PLEASE NOTE: Each State’s safety performance target assessment is based on its own State-specific target methodology and program philosophy. Therefore, conclusions should not be drawn based only on the information in the Safety Performance Target Assessment Summary table. For example, the State may have set aggressive targets, and not met those targets, while another State may have set more easily attainable targets, and met those targets. FHWA understands that each State’s safety program is unique and therefore does not prescribe a methodology for States to set targets. States have the flexibility to use the methodology they deem most appropriate when setting their safety performance targets.