State Police and the Department of Transportation Office on Highway Safety announce the Impaired Driving Prevention Alliance, Impaired Driving Summit August 25/26, 2016
Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Commissioner of Public Safety along with Director Peter Alviti Jr., Director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation announces the Rhode Island Impaired Driving Summit presented by the Impaired Driving Prevention Alliance. This event will be held August 25th and 26th at the Community College of Rhode Island, Warwick Rhode Island.
The Impaired Driving Prevention Alliance (IDPA) is a DOT/OHS/RISP statewide project which is comprised of a broad based and diverse coalition of professionals from across the state. The priority of the IDPA is to address the epidemic of impaired motor vehicle operation in our state and change public awareness of impaired driving. A change must be made within our state and nationally, as approximately one-third of all fatal crashes nationally have a direct alcohol and/or narcotic connection. In Rhode Island that accounted for 20 people who were killed in 2015.
The Summit will feature a day and a half of panel discussions each moderated by members of the IDPA and comprised of experts and professionals from across New England. The panels will focus on specific areas and efforts that collectively, will help us create positive change and greatly influence impaired driving countermeasures. The Summit’s goal is to support stronger and more sustainable results, consistently moving toward zero fatalities and decreased serious injuries. We anticipate an attendance in excess of 160 representatives from law enforcement, alcohol and drug treatment programs, community programs, media, legislative and engineering professionals. For more information, please contact Sergeant Gregory Cunningham at (401) 444-1212 or via email at gregory.cunningham@risp.gov.
As always, the State Police and Department of Transportation Office on Highway Safety wish to remind all motorists that they can immediately report dangerous drivers or hazardous roadway conditions to the police by dialing 9-1-1 on their cellular phones.