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HomeNewsTennessee Highway Patrol to increase Visibility during Fourth of July Weekend

Tennessee Highway Patrol to increase Visibility during Fourth of July Weekend

Tennessee Highway Patrol - THPNashville, TN – The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) will conduct a high-visibility enforcement campaign during this year’s Fourth of July holiday period, beginning at 12:01am on Thursday, July 3rd and ending at midnight on Sunday, July 6th.

State troopers will utilize a variety of traffic safety tools, such as driver’s license, sobriety and seat belt checkpoints, saturation patrols, and “No Refusal” enforcement, in an effort to reduce serious injury and fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways.

Tennessee Highway Patrolman on a traffic stop.
Tennessee Highway Patrolman on a traffic stop.

In 2013, 19 people were killed in 15 fatal crashes in Tennessee during the 102-hour holiday period. That’s down from 21 vehicular fatalities during the 2012 Fourth of July period.

Of the 19 traffic fatalities last year, five (26.3%) were alcohol-related and 13 (86.7%) were not wearing safety restraints, including one child passenger. One all-terrain vehicle (ATV) rider also died during the holiday period.

“We urge all Tennesseans and visitors traveling through our state to wear their seat belts,” Colonel Tracy Trott said. “State troopers will aggressively seek out violators of the seat belt law and those driving recklessly or distracted. It’s our goal to get everyone to their destination safely,” he added.

During the first six months of 2014, preliminary statistics show that 52 percent of traffic fatalities were unrestrained motorists and 77 vehicular deaths (17.5 %) involved an alcohol-impaired driver.

Two counties in Middle Tennessee, specifically Bedford and Rutherford Counties, have been designated “No Refusal” areas during the Fourth of July holiday period. “No Refusal” permits law enforcement officials to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers. THP District Captains have selected those counties based on an increase in crashes, DUI-related, injury or fatal.

“One of our priorities as an agency is DUI enforcement,” Colonel Trott said. “The collective goal is to keep drunk drivers off the road and reduce alcohol-related fatalities on state roadways. State troopers will work hard throughout the holiday period to keep the roads safe.”

State troopers arrested 132 individuals statewide on suspicion of impaired driving during last year’s Fourth of July period.

Highest Deaths

The highest number of deaths in a 102 – hour Fourth of July holiday period occurred in 1996, when 27 people were killed in traffic crashes in Tennessee, yielding a fatality rate of one death per three hours and 42 minutes.

Lowest Deaths

The lowest number of deaths in a 96 – hour Fourth of July holiday period occurred in 2011, when 8 people were killed in traffic crashes in Tennessee, yielding a fatality rate of one death every 12 hours.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Checkpoints

Fourth of July Driver License, Sobriety & Seat Belt Checkpoints

District 3 Nashville

Friday, July 4th
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
Seat Belt Montgomery Kraft Street at Frosty Morn Dr. Night
DL Checkpoint Humphreys Clydenton Road at E. Little Richland Rd. Night
Sobriety Cheatham Old Clarksville Hwy at Bear Wallow Late Night
Sobriety Robertson Hwy 41 at Ridgetop City Limits Late Night
Sobriety*** Rutherford Hwy 41/70, .1 Mi East of SR 840 Late Night
Sobriety Wilson Hwy 171 at Central Pike Late Night
Saturday, July 5th
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
Sobriety Montgomery U.S. 41A Bypass at Beacon Dr. Late Night
Sobriety Rutherford S. Rutherford Blvd., .6 Mi W of Why 41 Late Night

(***asterisk denotes a “No Refusal” County)

 

 

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About the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure that our state is a safe, secure place in which to live, work and travel; enforce the law with integrity; and provide customer-focused services professionally and efficiently.

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