AUGUSTA — A bill presented before the Legislature’s Transportation Committee would permit police in Maine to use 50 percent red lights when pulling over motorists instead of traditional blue lights.

Police say the transition is based on multiple studies that have found that the human eye can see flashing red lights better during the day than blue lights.

Rep. Matthew Harrington, a Sanford Republican who is also a police officer, told the committee Tuesday that the change would help improve safety for both officers and motorists.

Gorham Police Chief Daniel Jones says the lights police now use on their cruisers are up to 100 times brighter than they were 20 years ago.

The Portland Press Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2kKhDTu ) the committee will vote on whether to recommend L.D. 172 in the coming weeks.