THP Urges Motorists to “Let their Light Shine” to Kickoff Thanksgiving Holiday
Friday, November 19, 2010 | 08:09am
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“State Troopers Will Strictly Enforce Seat Belt Usage in Click It or Ticket Campaign”
NASHVILLE --- With millions of Americans hitting the roads this holiday season, the Tennessee Highway Patrol will be kicking up its Thanksgiving Day enforcement from 6 p.m., Wednesday, November 24 through midnight Sunday, November 28. State Troopers, who will also be conducting a 12-hour “C.A.R.E. Across Tennessee” campaign from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 24, have a message for motorists traveling through the state – “Let your little light shine.”
To participate in the C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Enforcement) safe driving campaign, drivers are encouraged to travel with their headlights on to indicate their commitment for safe driving, seat belt usage, and traffic law compliance. In addition, State Troopers will be assigned to every 10-mile stretch of road on both the eastbound and westbound lanes of travel on Interstate 40.
“In addition to the Thanksgiving Day Holiday Weekend enforcement, our State Troopers are covering a large portion of the interstate to ensure motorists are obeying the law and wearing seat belts, especially,” said Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “We want to increase our visibility and remind everyone to start the holidays off on the right foot and buckle up on every trip.”
Although safety belt usage climbed to 87 percent in 2010, more than 56 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in Tennessee traffic crashes were not wearing a safety belt in 2009. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on any given day about 38 passenger vehicle occupants who are not buckled up are killed in motor vehicle crashes. Research shows that it is almost nine times safer to wear your safety belt every time you get in the car.
“Our C.A.R.E. campaign and holiday enforcement is a chance for motorists to stand in solidarity with us by turning on their headlights to send a strong message that if you are not wearing a seatbelt, or driving aggressively or drunk, and displaying a total disregard for the law and human life, it will not be tolerated,” said THP Colonel Tracy Trott. “We want everyone traveling through Tennessee and beyond to get to their destination safely.”
Ten people were killed in eight fatal crashes on Tennessee roads during the 2009 Thanksgiving Holiday, 102-hour period. That is the same number as 2008 and fewer than the 13 people who died in 2007. Five of the seven vehicle occupants who were killed during the 2009 Thanksgiving Holiday weekend were not wearing safety restraints.
NHTSA statistics show that those least likely to buckle up are teens; young adults; males; nighttime riders; motorists traveling on rural roads; and individuals traveling in pickup trucks. In 2009 alone, over 11,500 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants lost their lives on U.S. roadways.
“The ultimate goal is to boost seat belt usage and save lives,” added Colonel Trott. “Don’t let this joyful holiday turn into a tragedy by failing to buckle up – Click it or Ticket.”
Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in motor vehicle crashes, according to NHTSA. Research has shown that when lap and shoulder belts are used properly, the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants is reduced by 45 percent, and the risk of moderate to serious injury is reduced by 50 percent.
As of November 18th, preliminary statistics indicate that 934 people have died on Tennessee roadways in 2010, an increase of 61 deaths compared to 873 fatalities at this same time a year ago. Statewide, fatalities are up this year after a year in 2009 when fatalities fell to their lowest level since 1963. Many of the deaths could have easily been prevented by simply buckling a seatbelt.
“All it takes is a couple of seconds to buckle your seatbelt,” said Kendell Poole, Director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. “If people would take this one simple and easy step before you start your vehicle, Tennessee fatalities could be reduced significantly.”
Statistics for the 2009 Thanksgiving Holiday period are included with this release along with a list of sobriety and driver license checkpoints scheduled throughout the holiday weekend.
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.TN.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.
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TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY
DRIVER LICENSE & SOBRIETYS
DIST. 1 KNOXVILLE
Friday, November 26:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
SOBRIETY ANDERSON E. WOLF VALLEY @ WOLF VALLEY CHURCH EVENING
SOBRIETY LOUDON U.S. 70 @ CREEKWOOD PARK BLVD EVENING
SOBRIETY MONROE S.R. 360 @ FT. LOUDON ST. PARK ENTRANCE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT CAMPBELL DEMORY RD @ WHITE BRIDGE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT KNOX MARYVILLE PK @ CALEB ST. LATE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT KNOX STATE ROUTE 61E @ E. EMORY RD MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT ROANE U.S. 70 @ POLAND HOLLOW RD MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT UNION TAZEWELL PK @ PETERS RD EVENING
Saturday, November 27:
SOBRIETY SEVIER COLLIER DR. @ RAINBOW RD LATE EVENING
DIST. 2 CHATTANOOGA
Friday, November 26:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT FRANKLIN SPRING CREEK RD @ UTSI RD MORNING
SOBRIETY MARION HWY 156 @ BLUE BRIDGE EVENING
SOBRIETY BLEDSOE HWY 30 @ FARMERS CO-OP EVENING
SOBRIETY BRADLEY TN 60 SOUTH AT NAT’L GUARD ARMORY LATE EVENING
SOBRIETY MCMINN HWY 411 @ ACE HARDWARE LATE EVENING
DIST. 3 NASHVILLE
Friday, November 26:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT DICKSON HWY 250 @ HWY 47 EVENING
SOBRIETY HUMPHREYS HWY 70 @ IN GORMAN EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT RUTHERFORD HWY 96 @ MILTON AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT STEWART HWY 79 @ STEWART CO. LINE MORNING
SOBRIETY SUMNER HWY 31 E @ 10 MM EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT WILLIAMSON HWY 31 @ HWY 41 AFTERNOON
SOBRIETY WILSON 95-D 2147 US 231 LATE EVENING
Saturday, November 27:
DL CHECKPOINT HOUSTON HWY 49 @ BETHANY RD AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT MONTGOMERY HWY 238 @ HWY 237 EVENING
SOBRIETY RUTHERFORD CHICKEN PIKE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT RUTHERFORD HWY 41A @ ROCKY G. AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT WILLIAMSON HWY 96 E @ CHAPEL RD AFTERNOON
SOBRIETY WILLIAMSON SOUTHALL RD @ PINEWOOD RD EVENING
Sunday, November 28:
DL CHECKPOINT CHEATHAM 11C E KINGSTON SPRINGS RD MORNING
DIST. 4 MEMPHIS
Friday, November 26:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT DYER STATE ROUTE 78 @ BROADMOOR AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT HAYWOOD U.S. 70 W/O COX LANE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT HAYWOOD STATE ROUTE 76 N/O STATE ROUTE 179 MORNING
SOBRIETY LAUDERDALE STATE ROUTE 88 W/O CROCKETT CO. LINE EVENING
SOBRIETY FAYETTE STATE ROUTE 59 N/O STATE ROUTE 194 LATE EVENING
DIST. 5 FALL BRANCH
Wednesday, November 24:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT GREENE S.R. 321 @ GREENE/COCKE CO. LINE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT HAWKINS STATE ROUTE 31 @ MOORESBURG EVENING
Thursday, November 25:
DL CHECKPOINT GRAINGER SLATE HILL @ HAWKINS CO. LINE MORNING
Friday, November 26:
DL CHECKPOINT COCKE STATE ROUTE 160 NEAR AIRPORT RD EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT HAWKINS US 11W @ POOR VALLEY EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT WASHINGTON OAK GROVE RD AFTERNOON
SOBRIETY GREENE US 11E @ .1 MI NORTH OF MM 12 LATE EVENING
SOBRIETY SULLIVAN US 19E, .2 MI NORTH OF GEORGE MASSENGILL BRDG LATE EVENING
Saturday, November 27:
DL CHECKPOINT SULLIVAN BLOOMINGDALE PIKE @ ARCADIA SCHOOL LATE EVENING
DIST. 6 COOKEVILLE
Friday, November 26:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT CANNON STATE ROUTE 146 .3 MI SOUTH OF 7 MM MORNING
SOBRIETY JACKSON STATE ROUTE 56 @ 1 MM EVENING
SOBRIETY JACKSON STATE ROUTE 290 @ PUTNAM CO. LINE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT PICKETT HWY 325 @ ROBBIN’S SHELL EVENING
SOBRIETY PICKETT HWY 111 @ OBEY RIVER PARK EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT PUTNAM SOUTH JEFFERSON AVE @ DL STATION AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT PUTNAM US 70 N @ DRY VALLEY MACHINE SHOP MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT VAN BUREN HWY 111 SOUTH EVENING
Saturday, November 27:
DL CHECKPOINT SMITH S.R. 53 SOUTH .3 MILE NORTH OF 1 MM AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT SMITH STATE ROUTE 80 @ 2 MM MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT TROUSDALE HALLTOWN RD @ OLD HALLTOWN RD AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT TROUSDALE HWY 25 WEST @ ROCKY CREEK LOOP MORNING
DIST. 7 LAWRENCEBURG
Wednesday, November 24:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT WAYNE STATE ROUTE 13 SOUTH .2 SO 23 MM LATE EVENING
Friday, November 26:
DL CHECKPOINT GILES HWY 31 S @ 3 MM EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT MARSHALL HWY 50 @ MAURY CO. LINE AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT HICKMAN HWY 7 @ 3 MM MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT MAURY STATE ROUTE 99 EAST .5 MI WEST OF 26 MM EVENING
Saturday, November 27:
DL CHECKPOINT LINCOLN HWY 64E @ 25 MM EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT LAWRENCE HWY 241 E @ 6 MM EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT BEDFORD HWY 82 @ HIMESVILLE CHURCH EVENING
Monday, November 29:
DL CHECKPOINT WAYNE STATE ROUTE 13 S .1 MILE SO. 1 MM MORNING
DIST. 8 JACKSON
Wednesday, November 24:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT GIBSON STATE ROUTE 187 EVENING
SOBRIETY MADISON U.S. 45 LATE EVENING
Friday, November 26:
SOBRIETY MADISON US 412W @ 3 MM EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT WEAKLEY STATE ROUTE 124 @ STATE ROUTE 190 EVENING
SOBRIETY CARROLL STATE ROUTE 22 @ STATE ROUTE 424 LATE EVENING
SOBRIETY HENRY US 641 @ BENTON CO. LINE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT HENDERSON STATE ROUTE 100 @ STATE ROUTE 114 AFTERNOON
SOBRIETY HENDERSON STATE ROUTE 22 @ CARROLL CO. LINE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT HARDIN HWY 57 & HWY 142 INT. 36D EVENING
SOBRIETY HARDIN HWY 128 @ ADAMS BAIT SHOP LATE EVENING
Saturday, November 27:
Checkpoint County Road/Highway Time of Day
DL CHECKPOINT CARROLL STATE ROUTE 424 @ YUMA RD AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT HENRY STATE ROUTE 69 & STATE ROUTE 218 AFTERNOON