This Maine PD Has Strong Words for People Using Accidents for Social Media Clout

Rubber Neck

We've all done it. We see an accident, some sort of emergency, or a police officer responding to something while we drive along and can't help but look. We're curious. Do we know the person involved? What's the carnage? What did they hit? We observe what we can and then tell someone about it. Maybe it's on the news. "That's the accident I saw!" Or we're sitting down for dinner, "That Dodge on Route 1 looked like it must have flipped a few times before landing in the ditch!"

In 2021 we now have high-quality cameras in our pockets so we no longer have to just tell stories, we have the ability to show them too.

Enough is Enough

In a now-viral Facebook post from Westbrook PD, they want people to cut it out noting an incident specifically from this morning.

There was a crash that resulted in part of Bridgton Road being closed. During this time approximately 12 drivers were spotted driving by the scene cell phones out. This not only violating Maine's "Hands-Free" law but also serves little purpose and lacks human compassion.

As "Sarge" so perfectly said with a hint of snark,

Your Instagram has 3 followers, Larry, and they're your parents and the family dog. Linda, your TikTok dance moves are atrocious and unwatchable. You will not become a social media super star by filming a crash scene in Westbrook, Maine at 8:30am on a Friday. Knock it off...

So, drivers, keep your phones in the console. Not only so you don't get a ticket, but so you keep those involved humanized. In those few seconds of driving by you do not know the whole story. Is sharing a savage wreck for likes and follows really that important? What if someone was injured or worse? And what if seeing your post was how they found out? Next time you happen upon an accident just continue driving and be grateful it wasn't you.

Read the full Westbrook PD Facebook post here.