The Turnpike maintenance crew put these driving tips together for you. Safety is our priority. Making the road safe for our patrons to travel on is important and we hope these tips remind you to be careful when you travel the Turnpike too.
Adhere to work zone speed limits and be prepared for the unexpected — blown-down lane markers, construction equipment and crew-members crossing travel lanes. Speeding fines in work zones more than double in cost.
Leave yourself plenty of time to react by keeping several car lengths in front and behind you — at least one car length for every 10 miles per hour. This is especially important during inclement weather.
When the weather turns bad and your wipers are on, remember to have your headlights on too! It's a matter of safety and it's the law.
Remember that on the three lane sections of the Turnpike, trucks are prohibited from the far left lane. So whenever possible, move to the right and allow them to pass safely in the middle lane.
Pull into the breakdown lane as far off as possible--onto the grass if you can.
Turn on your four-way hazard lights.
Raise your hood to signal police and other drivers that you need help. You could hang out a white handkerchief from your window or side view mirror too.
Dial 911 to access the nearest state police location and they will dispatch a patrol car or maintenance vehicle to your location.
Healthy Vehicles Mean Safer Roads
Do the Triple Check: Have your mechanic check your belts for wear and slipping and check your hoses and radiator for leaks to avoid your car from overheating.
Keep Cool: Check your water and coolant levels in your radiator with a fairly new, an easy test strip that measures alkalinity in the water. If it's low, just add some antifreeze. This reduces the need for the annual radiator system flush, there’s less waste and it's great for the environment.
The Pressure's On: The temperature outside can affect the air in your tires. After a trip, stop, and check you tire pressure to make sure it conforms to the manufacturer's recommendations.
What's Bugging You: Bugs in the radiator and condenser can cause your engine to overheat. Check these areas regularly to keep them clear of bugs and other road debris.
Road Striping
From late spring through fall, you may encounter road-painting crews on the Maine Turnpike. Pay attention! Slow down, stay back, and follow the direction arrows of the paint trucks. If you get too close to the fresh paint (MTA uses environmentally-friendly waterborne paint), it could get on your tires and spray up onto your car.
Need to Remove Road Paint from Your Vehicle?*
Do not scrub the vehicle’s finish with solvent or a scouring pad!
Try washing it off at a high-pressure car wash.
Try spraying it with WD-40® and let it sit for up to 2 hour. Wash the vehicle. This may be repeated.
Try applying a generous coat of petroleum jelly to the dry paint and wait 8–12 hours. Wash the vehicle at a high-pressure car wash. This may be repeated.
Note: You may apply a coat of wax afterwards to protect your vehicle’s finish.
*The MTA provides this information as a courtesy.
We do not accept responsibility for either damage resulting from driving on wet road-paint or removal of it.
