THP Will Be Out in Force This Thanksgiving Holiday
Released on Mon, Nov 24, 2008 - 10:26 am under
Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper stops motorist
NASHVILLE - As Thanksgiving holiday travelers prepare to hit the road, the Tennessee Highway Patrol is providing an extra incentive to buckle-up, obey posted speed limits signs and stay sober. State Troopers will be out in force and will conduct more than 50 sobriety and driver license checkpoints statewide.
The 2008 Thanksgiving holiday period begins at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26th and runs through midnight Sunday, November 30th.
Thanks to a grant provided through the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, THP will kick off the long holiday weekend by taking part in a law enforcement campaign called C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) Across Tennessee. On Wednesday, November 26, 2008, from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., a State Trooper will be posted every 15 miles along Interstate 40. Troopers will be looking for aggressive drivers, hazardous moving violations, impaired drivers and drivers who fail to buckle up.
“The C.A.R.E. Across Tennessee campaign allows us to increase our visibility during what is typically one of the busiest travel days of the year,” said Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “We will work very hard to keep Tennessee roads and highways safe, and we ask drivers to do their part. Thanksgiving is a time to be with family and loved ones, and no one wants to spend it at a police station, hospital or even worse.”
Thirteen people were killed in crashes on Tennessee roads during the 2007 Thanksgiving holiday weekend. That is a decrease from 2006 when 20 people died. Statistics for the 2007 Thanksgiving holiday period are on page two of this release.
“The drop in fatalities proves that our enforcement efforts are working, but I won’t be satisfied until the number of lives lost is zero,” stated Colonel Mike Walker. “That may sound unrealistic, but if we don’t have that goal, then we’re not out there doing the job that we should be doing.”
In all of 2007, there were 1,210 traffic fatalities in Tennessee, and of these, 390 involved a driver with an illegal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or greater. Sobriety and driver license checkpoints are scheduled at various times throughout the holiday weekend in the state’s eight THP districts. A list of checkpoints is available online as a PDF.
Before hitting the road, drivers should remember to inspect their cars, including tires, lights and wipers. If someone gets stranded on the highway or spots an aggressive driver, they can call *THP and be connected with the closest Tennessee Highway Patrol District Office.
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY
THANKSGIVING DAY HOLIDAY HISTORICAL INFORMATION
2007 THANKSGIVING DAY
6:00pm, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21 – 11:59pm, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25
102-HOUR
seven hours and 51 minutes. Nine crashes were single vehicle crashes. Four were multiple vehicle crashes.
One of the four (25%) were ejected from their vehicles.
No child passengers were killed.
Four pedestrians were killed.
|
|
DAY |
TIME |
COUNTY |
HIGHWAY |
NUMBER KILLED |
ALCOHOL RELATED |
|
1. |
Wednesday |
8:22 pm |
|
County Road |
1 |
No |
|
2. |
Thursday |
10:12 am |
SEVIER |
County Road |
1 |
No |
|
3. |
Thursday |
2:40 pm |
CHEATHAM |
County Road |
1 |
No |
|
4. |
Thursday |
9:30 pm |
JOHNSON |
SR |
1 |
No |
|
5. |
Friday |
4:20 am |
DAVIDSON |
Interstate 24 |
1 |
Yes |
|
6. |
Friday |
6:40 pm |
HAWKINS |
SR 1 |
1 |
No |
|
7. |
Saturday |
2:10 pm |
DAVIDSON |
City Street |
1 |
No |
|
8. |
Saturday |
9:27 pm |
DAVIDSON |
City Street |
1 |
Yes |
|
9. |
Sunday |
10:48 am |
PUTNAM |
City Street |
1 |
No |
|
10. |
Sunday |
2:50 pm |
MAURY |
County Road |
1 |
No |
|
11. |
Sunday |
5:11 pm |
|
City Street |
1 |
No |
|
12. |
Sunday |
5:55 pm |
|
City Street |
1 |
Yes |
|
13. |
Sunday |
6:20 pm |
|
City Street |
1 |
No |
|
HIGHEST DEATHS In 1966, 34 people were killed in holiday period, yielding a fatality rate of one death per 3.0 hours. LOWEST DEATHS In 1983, seven people were killed in holiday period, yielding a fatality rate of one death per 14.6 hours. |
The 2008 Thanksgiving Day holiday period will begin at
6:00pm, Wednesday, November 26 and will end 11:59pm, Sunday, November 30.
This is a 102-hour holiday period.
