A series of fatal traffic accidents involving young drivers has prompted the Legislature to approve measures to require teenagers to have more experience before they drive unsupervised and toughen penalties for those who commit repeat violations:
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DEC. 25: Tyler Manduca, 18, of Bucksport and three others died in a two-car collision on Route 3 in Palermo. Maine State Police said Manduca was driving too fast for the conditions on the snowy highway.
DEC. 26: Kristie Collins, 22, of Hudson died when she lost control of her car and crossed the centerline of Pushaw Road in Glenburn, hitting another vehicle.
DEC. 30: Joseph T. Faucher-Kuhlman, 21, of Cornville was killed when his pickup truck hit a utility pole and rolled over. He was not wearing a seat belt.
JAN. 7: Logan Dam, 19, of Norway and Rebecca Mason, 16, of West Paris were killed while riding in a car driven by Kristina Lowe, 18, that went off Route 219 and hit a stand of trees. Police said Lowe, who survived the crash, had been drinking and was texting friends as she lost control on a patch of ice.
JAN. 8: Chaz Dorais, 19, of Biddeford, died while riding in a car that slammed into a garage when the driver, Patrick Beatson, 19, lost control on West Street.
JAN. 8: Rebecca Maiuri, 20, of Wilton was killed when her car went off Route 145 and hit a utility pole. Police said excessive speed was a factor.
JAN. 24: Robert Lawrence, 73, of Jefferson died after his vehicle was hit by a car driven by Johnie James, 19, of Nobleboro. Police said the younger driver failed to stop at an intersection on Route 32 in Jefferson.
FEB. 5: Francis Finn, 16, of Whiting was killed when the pickup truck in which he was riding, driven by Aaron Foss, 20, of East Machias, left Route 191 in East Machias at high speed and hit a utility pole and a tree, police said.
MARCH 5: Samantha Snyder, 20, of Charleston was killed when her car crossed the centerline in snowy weather on Main Road in Charleston and collided with a logging truck.
MARCH 16: Libby Lofgren, 18, of Newfield was killed when her car left Route 5, went airborne and hit a tree. Police said speed and alcohol were factors.
APRIL 10: Timothy Dodge, 19, of Rockland lost control of his car and was killed when it veered off Route 2 in Old Town and hit a tree. Police said speed was a factor in the accident.
— From staff reports
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