Local and state law enforcement from across Aquidneck Island and South County will join forces Saturday for a high-visibility impaired driving enforcement campaign coinciding with the 70th annual Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Officers from the Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Jamestown, North Kingstown and South Kingstown police departments, along with Rhode Island State Police troopers, will collaborate to enforce motor vehicle laws and arrest impaired drivers.
The Providence Police Department’s Breath Alcohol Testing Mobile Unit will also be deployed to provide a central location for evaluating and processing drivers suspected of impairment.
The campaign is being conducted with support from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Office on Highway Safety and the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.
Authorities are urging parade-goers to arrange transportation before drinking and to designate a sober driver. Anyone who observes a suspected impaired or erratic driver is asked to call 911.
“The cost of a ride share is much lower than the costs associated with a drunk driving arrest, and far less than the tragedies that often occur as a result,” the Newport Police Department said in a statement.