The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association is urging people to designate a driver or use ride-hailing services over the Fourth of July weekend, amid concerns about impaired driving.
Police departments across the state will be offering extra patrols over the holiday weekend, the association said.
“The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate and we are asking Rhode Islanders to help us keep our roads safe by driving sober and reminding their friends and family to do the same,” Col. Bradford Connor, president of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, said in a statement.
“Our message is very simple: if you are planning to use alcohol or cannabis, do not drive,” Connor said. “Across the state there will be extra patrols out looking for impaired drivers.”
The extra patrols are funded by the NHTSA and supported by the RIDOT Office of Highway Safety.
The Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association also encouraged people to share a post on social media reminding people of the risks of impaired driving.
“Whether you are celebrating at big events in Bristol or Providence or are getting together with friends at the beach, your responsibility is the same and you need to make a plan to get home safely: designate a driver, use ride share or stay where you are,” Connor said. “If you drive impaired, you are risking your life and the lives of others on the road.”
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
