As snowmobiles get bigger, faster and more powerful, it seems the number of accidental deaths related to them goes up.

Just this weekend alone, three people were killed in three separate accidents riding in Maine.

The first crash occurred Friday morning around 11 when a woman from Pennsylvania failed to properly make a turn on Bald Mountain Camp Trail. This caused her Ski-Doo Grand Touring 900 to flip onto its side and crash into trees that were next to the trail. Authorities said that speed did not appear to be a factor, but that being an inexperienced rider might have. A passenger on the snowmobile survived.

One hour after that crash, a Massachusetts man was killed near Millinocket. Alan Paquette, 55 of Ashburnham was driving a Ski-Doo Renegade 850 in the back of a line of other snowmobiles when he missed a corner on ITS 86 and crashed into several trees. Wardens said that speed and being unfamiliar with the trail likely caused the crash.

Finally, a man from Wiscasset was killed Sunday night on Moosehead lake when he reportedly hit a pressure ridge at a high rate of speed. Authorities say 59 year old Gregory Lemar was travelling towards Rockwood from Greenville when the accident occurred. The man's wife who was riding behind him on a separate machine was uninjured.

On average, Maine sees about six sled deaths per year. These three this weekend brings this winter season's totals to seven.

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