Nashville, Tennessee --- Members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol will work extra hours this Thanksgiving holiday weekend in an effort to reduce the number of crashes in the state. Troopers in counties throughout Tennessee will also conduct sobriety and driver license checkpoints between Wednesday, November 23, and Sunday, November 27.

"The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year," says Department of Safety Commissioner Fred Phillips. "As traffic increases, the risk for accidents and injuries also rises. In response to this potential threat to motorists, the THP will step up patrols throughout the holiday weekend."

The 2005 Thanksgiving holiday period begins at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 23. It runs through midnight on Sunday, November 27. The official holiday period is 102 hours long.

Thirteen people were killed in crashes on Tennessee roads during the Thanksgiving weekend in 2004. That represents a reduction from 15 fatalities in 2003 and 17 in 2002. This holiday period has historically been one of the deadliest in Tennessee. In 1966, 34 people were killed in traffic crashes in the state. The lowest figure on record is for 1983, when only seven people died in crashes during the holiday weekend. Statistics for 2004 is on page two of this release.

"We work to make the highways safe for all residents and visitors. Our emphasis on safety enforcement will remain firm, especially during this hectic holiday period," says Colonel Lynn Pitts, Commander of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. "We concentrate on factors that contribute to fatal crashes: unlicensed drivers, failure to wear seat belts, speeding and impaired driving. By focusing on these areas, we're working to improve highway safety for the motoring public."

In September, the International Association of Chiefs of Police recognized the Tennessee Highway Patrol for having the best safety enforcement plan in the nation.

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.