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Maine police departments have more money to spend on distracted driving than ever before

(NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Maine police departments received more federal money to be used in 2018 towards comprehensive distracted driving enforcement and education than ever before.

Director of the Bureau of Highway Safety Lauren Stewart said Wednesday that the Bureau received $2 million in multiple grants over the course of the federal fiscal year 2017. Stewart said the bureau distributed roughly $813,000 to 57 local, county, and state law enforcement agencies to be used to pay for overtime for officers working specific distracted driving details.

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She said another $500,000 was spent on public education, such as public service announcements, and that any unspent money will be rolled over into next year's awards for enforcement and education.

Stewart said the law enforcement agencies must prove why they need the federal funds, and then follow a stringent reporting process to show how much of the money was used and the result of the distracted driving enforcements, such as warnings given or tickets written.

Not all distracted driving crashes involve cellphones, according to police. People can be distracted by eating food, putting on makeup, or anything that takes their visual or cognitive attention away from the road.

Suzanne Grace is a former EMT, and is now the executive director of "Safe Kids," a program that teachers parents how to properly install car seats. Her daughter was hit by a driver whom she says was distracted.

"Distracted driving can have various aspects to it including a mental, a physical, and a visual, so it could be that you're thinking of something else and not paying attention to driving," said Grace.

Her daughter Kaylin was in the passenger seat. Kaylin's boyfriend, Ben Tracy, was behind the wheel. They were driving down Route 302 in Westbrook in August of 2015, when they were hit head-on by a car that had crossed over the double yellow lines.

Grace later found out that the driver who hit her daughter, was her supervisor at the hospital's trauma center.

"When it's somebody who knew the risks and still took them -- it's frustrating," said Grace.

Kaylin is almost completely recovered, but had to have brain surgery and spent months in a wheelchair due to broken bones in her feet and neck.

Maine has received federal funds in the past. The state got money after the Legislature passed the texting prohibition bill.

Still, making a phone call, and operating a GPS are still allowed under Maine law.

Senator Bill Diamond (D- Windham) said last week that he plans to reintroduce his hands-free legislation when a new Governor takes office. Governor LePage vetoed Diamond's bill introduced in 2017, citing the lack of evidence of distracted driving.

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