Not long after taking office, Mayor Picozzi put his foot down on speeders. He’d listened to the complaints at neighborhood meetings, heard how motorists traveling roads with 35 MPH limits were routinely driving 45 and racing to beat traffic signals before they changed. And he heard the complaints about people running the stop signs, traffic signals and ignoring cross walks. Like many Warwick motorists, he’d seen the speeders weaving through morning commuters on Warwick Avenue or whipping along on neighborhood streets; those running red lights and using center lanes designed for turns to pass other motorists..

Picozzi made traffic offenses a priority.

Police initiated a crackdown of speeders. Violations started mounting. In a single day more than 40 motorists were ticketed for seeding on Airport Road. The campaign and the publicity surrounding it did little to deter the speeding. Airport Road continues to be the runway where motorist take off. By no means is it the only speedway. They’re throughout the city from Ives Road in Potowomut to Cowesett Road, Post Road, Elmwood Avenue, Main Avenue, Warwick Neck Avenue, West Shore Road and on and on.

“Speeding and other traffic related concerns remain the biggest complaint we receive from our residents,” said Col. Bradford Connor, in a text exchange documenting a steady climb in traffic violations year over year.

The data also offered a bright spot, a decline in the number of accidents. Trends are difficult to establish because of the impact of the pandemic and the mandated shutdown in the spring of 2020.

In 2019 the department issued 8,107 tickets and 9,758 written warnings. There were 3,327 accidents. In 2022 the number of tickets increased to 8,640 and warnings totaled 8,432.  Last year the department issued 7,916 written warnings and 8,814 tickets. Accidents totaled 3,162 in 2022 which compares to 3,006 for last year.

“Our officers do yeoman’s work to handle the complaints and to proactively enforce violations but with the number of streets and shear traffic volume we only scratch the surface, which is why we are looking to technology to assist us in the school zones and intersections,” he said.

Connor and the mayor are looking to step up enforcement a notch with the use of cameras. The city has received bids for speed cameras, which under the current law are only permissible in school safety zones as well as for cameras designed to catch those running red lights.

Mayor Picozzi said yesterday the police department is reviewing the various proposals and until that is completed he wouldn’t know of costs or where the devices would be installed, assuming that the City Council approves a contract.  

“It’s not a given we’re going to do it,” he said. “These are complicated systems and we need to see what fits our needs.”

He thought grants could offset costs.

Federal  funds have offset overtime costs and special initiatives aimed at curbing DUIs, driving without seat belts, distracted driving, failing to stop for pedestrians and speeding. The total amount of grants from October 2022 to September last year is nearly $230,000.

Talking with Captain Robert Hart who heads the community services division confirms any doubts that many motorists aren’t paying addition to the road when driving. He said speed and distraction are the major contributing factors to accidents. Most accidents, he said, are rear enders or side swipes resulting from poor judgement, distraction and failure to anticipate the actions of other drivers and to be prepared.

He relates while enforcing the requirement motorists stop if there’s a pedestrian in a crosswalk, the frequent explanation is, “I didn’t see anyone.” As an example of driver distraction, he told of how an officer on a police motorcycle pulled along side a driver who he could clearly see was texting while driving. When he pulled her over, she said she hadn’t seen him.

Asked about the volume of traffic warnings that run close to motorists ticketed, Hart said the decision to issue a warning versus a ticket is left to the officer’s discretion. He said that decision could be based on the behavior of the motorist and how receptive they are to change.

“Hopefully they change,” he said.