THP Joins Border States in Effort to Save Lives This Labor Day Weekend
Troopers Working Increased Patrols During Busy Travel Holiday
August 29, 2006NASHVILLE, Tenn., — As millions plan for holiday travel this Labor Day the Tennessee Department of Safety advises the Tennessee Highway Patrol will be participating in a multi-state effort to reduce the number of lives lost on Tennessee ’s roadways. The Labor Day holiday weekend begins Friday, September 1 at 6 p.m. and ends Monday, September 4 at 11:59 p.m.
On Wednesday, August 30 THP Colonel Mike Walker and Lt. Colonel Albert Strawther will join leaders from Alabama State Troopers, Florida Highway Patrol, Georgia State Patrol, Kentucky State Police, Mississippi Highway Patrol, North Carolina State Highway Patrol and South Carolina Highway Patrol in Kennessaw, Georgia to launch the southeast states’ Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) Labor Day Enforcement Campaign.
“This Labor Day holiday we want to ensure that everyone reaches their destinations safely,” said Interim Department of Safety Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “That’s why we’re joining many of our neighbors in Operation C.A.R.E. and reminding travelers to drive safe, obey the posted speed limits and remember to buckle up.”
In addition to Operation C.A.R.E., the THP will join thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies across the nation this Labor Day in an aggressive new crackdown on impaired drivers called: Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.
Drunk driving is one of America ’s deadliest crimes. During 2004, nearly 13,000 people were killed in highway crashes involving an impaired driver or motorcycle operator with an illegal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.
In Tennessee , 15 people died on Tennessee roadways during the 2005 Labor Day holiday weekend. Six of those deaths occurred in alcohol related crashes.
“Labor Day weekend is a time to relax and have fun but all of us have a responsibility to also be safe” stated THP Colonel Mike Walker. “If you travel this holiday, remember, drinking and driving don’t mix. Troopers across the state will be cracking down on impaired drivers and if you’re caught over the limit, you’ll be under arrest.”
Governor’s Highway Safety Officer (GHSO) Director Kendall Poole emphasized the financial toll of a single DUI, “A single DUI conviction could cost you as much as $5,000 or more after all fines and fees have been paid. Instead of throwing your money away on a DUI conviction, think of all the ways you could use $5,000 in a more positive manner. So don’t take the chance. Remember, if you are over the limit, you are under arrest.”
During Labor Day weekend 2005, eleven of the 15 people killed died in automobile crashes. Nine of those eleven fatalities, or 55%, were people who did not wear a safety belt.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol will conduct increased patrols throughout the Labor Day weekend. The increased enforcement is made possible thanks in part to grants provided by the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office.
Click here for a listing of all scheduled holiday driver license and sobriety checkpoints.
The Tennessee Department of Safety ( www.tennessee.gov/safety ) is responsible for ensuring the safety and general welfare of the traveling public. The department’s general areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education and motorist services including the issuance of driver licenses and title and registration activities. The department and its highly trained staff of Troopers are responsible for safety on more than 15,000 miles of state and federal highways.