I am Deputy George Bradbury. I work for the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. I am a contracted deputy for the town of Harpswell. I am also a resident of Harpswell. I have decided to bring back my “Island Law” column, which I last wrote in 2009. I get asked questions by many, so I would like to explain certain laws and give feedback. I would like to dedicate my first column back to Robert “Bob” Anderson, the founder of the original Harpswell Anchor and my writing mentor for those early columns.
I am no longer a marine patrol deputy or a clam warden. Most of my earlier columns had information on harvester events and meetings. My new columns will be a little different from the past ones. I will be writing about traffic issues and crime-related issues. I also will try to give tips on how to not get into trouble, and I’ll explain certain laws.
Proof of insurance
From Maine’s traffic laws, Title 29-A, Section 1601, the fine for failure to produce evidence of insurance is $186.
Here are my tips:
- Put your proof of insurance in your vehicle when you receive it, not in a stack of bills on your kitchen table or in your office — the most common answer we hear about why it isn’t in the vehicle.
- You may keep or have a copy of your insurance information on your electronic device or cellphone. This can be a photograph or you can access it through an app. All of the major carriers have apps.
- Make sure your teenage drivers have proper insurance in their vehicles, as they are often too busy to make time for that. (They say, “That is my parents’ job, not mine.”)
As summer approaches, be mindful of your driving, as many people from away come to enjoy our beautiful coastal scenery, shops and restaurants.
In upcoming columns, I will be addressing bicycles, pedestrians, fraud, elder abuse and many other issues. If you would like to suggest a topic, please feel free to message me at bradbury@cumberlandcounty.org.
Remember, let’s be safe out there! And don’t get voted off the islands.
Red tape or fine print: These are the views of Deputy George Bradbury, not of the town of Harpswell or the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
