|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 07, 2021
|
|
GEICO is New Sponsor of the Maine Turnpike Safety Patrol
Perfect timing for Holiday Weekend as MTA predicts 20% increase in patrol demand
PORTLAND –Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) today announced GEICO is the new sponsor of the Maine Turnpike Safety Patrol. The sponsorship announcement comes in advance of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day holiday, where the Maine Turnpike typically sees a 20% increase in demand for safety patrol services. With GEICO support, the patrol will provide vital services to motorists in need and improve mobility in Maine for years to come.
Post pandemic, MTA has seen an increase in travelers taking road trips and the Indigenous Peoples’ Day long weekend occurs at the height of leaf peeping season so there will be a high volume of motorists on the roadway. Safety Patrols, like the Maine Turnpike Safety Patrol sponsored by GEICO, are imperative during this time because in the United States, 20% of crashes result from a previous crash, and for every minute a primary incident remains a hazard, the likelihood of a secondary crash increases by 2.8%.
On average, the Safety Patrol sponsored by GEICO clears incidents on the Maine Turnpike in eighteen minutes, which dramatically reduces the likelihood of a second crash.
In addition, because of the GEICO sponsorship, over 1,000 additional hours of patrol time will be provided to Turnpike motorists every year. These additional hours represent 41% of the total patrol coverage hours, showing a significant increase in hours dedicated to vital Safety Patrol services.
Services provided by the Safety Patrol include changing flat tires, jump-starting vehicles, moving disabled vehicles to the shoulder, providing lock-out assistance, and removing debris and other hazards from the road.
“The operators of the Safety Patrol sponsored by GEICO cars are truly heroes as they show up quickly to help these stranded motorists and get them to safety as quickly as possible,” said Peter Mills, Executive Director, Maine Turnpike Authority. “Safety Service Patrols are considered to be one of the most effective Traffic Incident Management programs and the sponsorship from GEICO is a great benefit to our travelers in helping to keep them safe.”
All patrol vehicles are equipped with emergency lighting and road flares to further increase safety for stranded motorists, and to help relieve congested traffic. Patrol operators can provide temporary traffic control at minor accident scenes and assist the Maine State Police and other first responders when needed.
“It’s an honor for GEICO to sponsor the Maine Turnpike Safety Patrol vehicles,” said Mindy Seibold, GEICO’s Regional Vice President. “GEICO prides itself on being there when our customers need us the most, whether it’s an everyday incident or responding to a catastrophic event. This partnership and similar ones across the country will benefit motorists from coast to coast by getting compromised vehicles off the road quickly and reducing the likelihood of another vehicle incident.”
“I'm a teacher and I was on the way to school when my front right tire popped. I was on I-95 and I pulled over to the side, where I attempted to call someone to come fix my tire. I didn't have great service and I didn't remember how to change my own tire,” said Lydia, an assisted motorist that benefited from the Safety Patrol program. “I was trying to come up with a Plan B when Mark, a Maine Turnpike Safety Patrol driver, pulled up behind me. He got out the spare tire and changed the tire for me. I am so appreciative of his help!”
The Safety Patrol operates on the Maine Turnpike, between Exit 42 in Scarborough and Mile 57 in Cumberland, Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 10:30 am and between Exit 48 in Portland and Exit 32 in Biddeford, from 3:30 to 7:00 pm. Additionally, from April to December, the Safety Patrol operates on the Turnpike from the Piscataqua River Bridge in Kittery to Exit 19 in Wells. This seasonal patrol operates from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Official highway signs informing motorists of the patrolled routes will now feature the GEICO logo.
A member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies, GEICO is a stable company that was founded 85 years ago, and consistently works to make driving safer for all travelers. Through sponsorship of the Safety Patrol, GEICO continues its focus on safety by supporting the MTA.
More information can be found at SafetyPatrolinfo.com and the MTA website; GEICO Living is also a great source for auto safety related articles and tips. Assisted motorists are encouraged to share about the help they received by posting to social media. Motorists will be able to tag the patrols using #GEICOSafetyPatrol.
Broadcast quality video and other media assets available for download here:
https://www.safetypatrolinfo.com/maine-press-kit
Invitation to the Press
To introduce the Maine Turnpike Safety Patrol sponsored by GEICO and give the media the opportunity to capture the patrol in action, MTA is inviting members of the media to schedule ride alongs between 11 am and 3 pm on Thursday, October 7th and will try to accommodate any media requests if another time is needed. These ride alongs will originate at MTA headquarters in Portland and should be scheduled through MTA spokesperson, Erin Courtney.
To kick off the program, on Friday, October 8th from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm, at the Kennebunk Service Plaza (northbound) located at Mile Marker 25 on the Maine Turnpike, MTA representatives and Safety Patrol drivers will be onsite with a Safety Patrol truck to raise awareness with traveling motorists. Maine Turnpike’s Miles the Moose will also be on site.
About GEICO
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S., was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies, GEICO employs more than 43,000 associates countrywide. GEICO constantly strives to make lives better by protecting people against unexpected events while saving them money and providing an outstanding customer experience. Along with personal auto insurance, commercial auto and personal umbrella coverages are also available. Homeowners, renters, condo, flood, identity theft, term life, and more coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Visit geico.com for a quote or to learn more.