To the Editor:

Impaired driving accounts for almost a third of all traffic fatalities in the US. Here in Rhode Island we are experiencing a tragic surge in traffic-related deaths with 49 so far in 2023. Last year there were 30 traffic-related deaths at this time. The Cranston Police Department is responding by focusing on identifying and arresting impaired drivers on our streets and roadways. Whether people are drunk or high, they are still impaired, and the DUI charge is the same.  

Now through Labor Day we are reminding people to “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” with high-visibility enforcement and increased patrols throughout the city. We hope that our residents and visitors will get the message and make a better choice than to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Colonel Michael J. Winquist

Cranston Police Department