PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Federal funding will be used to pay for extra police patrols to catch drunk drivers through the end of the year, according to state transportation officials.
The state Department of Transportation said Friday it’s using $60,000 in funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to pay for additional patrols specifically for drunk driving. The department also allocated $200,000 for increased advertising and messaging about the dangers of drunk driving.
There have been 55 fatal crashes this year so far, the department said. It takes several months to determine the percentage of crashes that involved an impaired driver. About a third of fatal crashes involved an impaired driver in 2018.
Transportation Department Director Peter Alviti said the holiday season is one of the worst times of the year for fatal crashes.
The state’s efforts coincide with a national campaign to drastically reduce drunk driving.
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