THP Will Be Out in Force This Thanksgiving Holiday

Monday, November 24, 2008 | 04:26am

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 26^th and runs through midnight Sunday, November 30^th.

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 HOLIDAY

6:00pm, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21 – 11:59pm, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25

102-HOUR HOLIDAY PERIOD

In Tennessee, there were 13 fatal crashes resulting in 13 deaths, yielding a fatality rate of one death per

seven hours and 51 minutes. Nine crashes were single vehicle crashes. Four were multiple vehicle crashes.

Three (23%) of the fatalities occurred in alcohol-related crashes.

Nine of the people killed were vehicle occupants.

Four of the nine (44%) were not wearing safety restraints.

One of the four (25%) were ejected from their vehicles.

No child passengers were killed.

No motorcyclists were killed. No ATV operators were killed.

Four pedestrians were killed.

FATALITY LOG

	DAY	TIME	COUNTY	HIGHWAY	NUMBER KILLED	ALCOHOL RELATED
1.	Wednesday	8:22 pm	MADISON	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	WASHINGTON	City Street	1	No
12.	Sunday	5:55 pm	RUTHERFORD	City Street	1	Yes
13.	Sunday	6:20 pm	HAMILTON	City Street	1	No

HIGHEST DEATHS

In 1966, 34 people were killed in Tennessee traffic crashes during the 102-hour Thanksgiving

holiday period, yielding a fatality rate of one death per 3.0 hours.

LOWEST DEATHS

In 1983, seven people were killed in Tennessee traffic crashes during the 102-hour Thanksgiving

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.

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