Police in Rhode Island to participate in national trafffic enforcement effort

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Police along Interstate 95 in Rhode Island will join the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s end-to-end speed enforcement effort.

“Speed kills. Nationwide, speeding is linked to nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities,” said Bristol Police Chief Kevin Lynch, who’s also the president of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.

South Kingstown police in a separate release said that their BAT Mobile will be rolling out Friday night to help with drunk driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speed-related deaths increased by 8% from 2020 to 2021. In 2021, 12,330 people were killed in speed-related crashes.

In Rhode Island, traffic fatalities are going up this year, with 40 people who died in crashed — compared to just 18 this time last year, said the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association.