Mothers Against Drunk Driving prepare for Saturation Saturday ahead of Labor Day weekend

WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) — A press conference Friday morning held to highlight increased patrols as we look towards one of the more dangerous weekends of the year, Labor Day weekend.

“To the people on the road, if you make that choice then you’d better be ready to face the consequences because we’re going to be out there looking for you,” Lt. David Bissonnette said.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving joined police departments across the Ocean State ahead of Saturation Saturday, an awareness campaign aimed at curbing drunk driving.

“I think the Warwick police already had four just yesterday,” Rhode Island Department of Transportation Chief of Highway Safety Gabrielle Abbate.

Departments across Rhode Island will run additional patrols over the weekend, leading up to the end of what’s known as the 100 deadliest days of summer, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

“It’s not just at night, people that leave work and have a few drinks,” Warwick Police Chief Bradford Connor said. “We’re seeing drugged and drunk people driving at 10 a.m. Almost on a weekly basis, we have these in Warwick, and we have it throughout the state.”

The issue was a personal one for staff, as Lt. Bissonnette was a survivor of an incident just last year, recounting his experience living through it.

“For a long time after the crash, I was unable to perform simple tasks on my own,” he said. “My wife and children had to cut my food. Dress me, tie my shoes, zip my jacket, help me stand up. Walk next to me like a toddler because they were afraid, I was going to fall.”