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An Act To Establish Emergency Zones on Public Ways To Minimize Accidents
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  29-A MRSA §2075, sub-§2-A  is enacted to read:
 
2-A.  Emergency zone.   The Commissioner of Transportation may restrict the speed limit on a public way in an emergency zone and the Executive Director of the Maine Turnpike Authority may restrict the speed limit on any portion of the turnpike in an emergency zone when a lower rate of speed would minimize the danger of an accident. A person may not operate a motor vehicle in excess of these speeds, as long as notice of the maximum speed has been given by standard black and white speed limit signs on the public way. Signs erected pursuant to this subsection must be covered or removed during hours when the speed limit is not restricted pursuant to this subsection.
 
The penalty for a violation of this subsection is a fine equal to twice the amount of the fine designated in accordance with Title 4, section 164, subsection 12 for a similar speeding violation under section 2073.
 
For purposes of this subsection, "emergency zone" means an area where a traffic accident, a serious incident caused by weather conditions or another occurrence along a public way has occurred for which a police officer, a firefighter or emergency medical personnel are summoned to aid an injured victim.
 
SUMMARY
This bill defines emergency zones and allows the Commissioner of Transportation and the Executive Director of the Maine Turnpike Authority to lower the speed limit in those areas. Fines are doubled if a person violates this provision of law.