The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will join State and local law enforcement officials tomorrow to kick off a new overnight seat belt enforcement campaign.
The event will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at the Park & Ride on Route 44 in East Providence. Speakers will include RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis, State Police Major James Pereira, and Rhode Island Police Chiefs' Association President Anthony M. Pesare.
From March 15-24, teams of officers will be monitoring seat belt use throughout the state. Violators will be fined $85 for each person in the vehicle who is not wearing a safety restraint. This will be the first time the State has funded a seat belt campaign to be conducted almost exclusively at night.
The new strategy is based on data that shows 79 percent of passenger vehicle fatalities in Rhode Island occurred between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. In those fatal crashes, nearly three-quarters of the motorists killed were not wearing their seat belts.
For members of the media who are interested, ride-alongs and law enforcement interview opportunities also are available.
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DIRECTIONS: Take I-95 to I-195 East (Northbound: Exit 19; Southbound: Exit 20). Follow I-195 East and take Exit 8 (Pawtucket Avenue). Turn right onto Warren Avenue and follow for .3 miles. Take a right onto Pawtucket Avenue, follow to Taunton Avenue and turn right. The Park & Ride is located on the left side of the street across from the East Providence Mitsubishi dealership.
Contact: Bryan Lucier 401-222-1362 x4012