SEABROOK, N.H. — As northbound motorists stopped late Thursday morning to stretch their legs and visit the restrooms at the Interstate 95 welcome center, troopers from the tri-state area were there to deliver a stern reminder: Please don’t speed.
Law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire are all participating in a coordinated campaign that kicks off Thursday and aims to clamp down on speeders and impaired drivers throughout the region, and they sent representatives to share that message during a roadside press conference.
Arthur Kinsman, the regional administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said some 22 states up and down the East Coast are coordinating with NHTSA on the speeding enforcement campaign.
“It’s not about giving out tickets,” Kinsman said. “It’s about reminding drivers to curtail their speeding and put an end to that risky behavior.”
New Hampshire State Police Lieutenant Christopher Storm said Granite State law enforcement agencies are proud to collaborate with their partners across state lines.
“With the busy travel season upon us, it is crucial for all motorists to prioritize safety and responsible driving practices,” Storm said, urging drivers to exercise caution, follow speed limits, and move over for emergency vehicles.
“Your cooperation can make significant difference in ensuring the well-being of all users of our roadways,” he added.
Storm said troopers will increase their enforcement patrols statewide in the coming days, including through the use of aircraft watching for extremely unsafe drivers. Already so far this year, New Hampshire police have stopped more than 700 vehicles statewide that were going 90 mph or faster, he said. That includes 71 drivers who were clocked at 100 mph or more, he noted.
Eddie Edwards, assistant commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Safety, said speeding can lead to costly and tragic consequences.
To drive that point home, Brian Langerman, the deputy fire chief from Westbook, Maine, told a story about the scene of a fatal head-on crash to which he responded about 25 years ago. He said he sat by the wreckage with an uninjured 19-year-old passenger after her mother, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the car and died at the scene.
Kinsman said NHTSA provides funding to the states for patrols, but really the costs associated with this campaign’s stepped-up enforcement efforts are coming from the states to pursue the shared objectives of reducing injuries and fatalities on New England roadways.
Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.