State police: 600+ citations issued near Washington Bridge since April
by: Kayla Fish, Leah Crowley
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — New data 12 News has obtained from Rhode Island State Police is revealing what rules drivers are breaking the most near the Washington Bridge.
Since April, state police have issued more than 600 citations in the area. Of those citations, 192 went to people texting and using handheld devices while driving.
Daisy Chimborazo commutes over the bridge regularly. she says that statistic isn’t surprising. “I’ve seen people text. You can look over and people are on their phones.”
“I’m a truck driver. I can see down in people’s cars, and let me tell you, the God’s honest truth, 95% of the people have their phone in their hand or on their lap, and they’re paying attention to that phone,” said Paul Bryn, who drives over the bridge every day.
State police say the second most common violation is speeding with troopers issuing 132 citations. About 50 citations went to commercial truckers who didn’t follow signs to drive in the right lane.
“Eventually, someone’s gonna get hurt by them not paying attention to the rules and regulations,” Bryn said. “Everybody’s in such a rush now, these truck drivers are flying. They’re going faster than 40.”
Bryn thinks police should be issuing more citations.
“I don’t think they’re doing enough to get these guys to realize ‘Hey, you’re breaking the law, we’re doing this for a reason, we’re doing this for a safety reason,’” he said.
While police are patrolling the congestion-prone area, Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office is continuing to work with lawyers hired by the state to try and hold people accountable for the bridge breakdown.
“We got a copy of the complaint within the last couple of days … We’ve got to make sure that we’re comfortable with it, and we recognize the urgency to try and get it done,” Neronha said on 12 News at 4 on Tuesday.
According to attorneys Max Wistow and Jonathan Savage, that the lawsuit would be filed on or before Aug. 19. Neronha said time will tell if the timeline sticks.