Tennessee Highway Patrol Participates in I-75 Challenge, Increases Enforcement

KNOXVILLE –-- The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) will join five other states in a traffic safety enforcement campaign on Interstate 75 this weekend. The effort, which runs from Friday, June 27 through Sunday, June 29, is part of the “Staying Alive on I-75” challenge that was first launched in March.

The “Staying Alive on I-75" enforcement effort is part of the Highway Patrol’s “Drive to Zero Fatalities” campaign, in support of a nationwide initiative by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to reduce traffic fatalities in the United States by 15 percent this year.

“The Tennessee Highway Patrol’s year-long ‘Drive to Zero Fatalities’ campaign and multi-state enforcement efforts, such as the Interstate 75 challenge, are great tools to help change driver behavior and ultimately save lives on our roadways,” Commissioner Bill Gibbons said. He leads the Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

Law enforcement officials from Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee – the states along the I-75 corridor – are participating in the challenge.  Tennessee State Troopers will focus specifically on the “Move Over” law, as well as impaired and distracted driving, speeding and seat belt usage on I-75. The Knoxville Police Department and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office will assist the enforcement efforts.

The Move Over law requires that the driver moves from the lane closest to an emergency vehicle, if it’s safe to do so, or slow down to a safe speed. Colonel Tracy Trott launched a #MoveOver initiative on Twitter in May after the tragic deaths of two law enforcement officers in apparent violations of the law.  The goal of the social media campaign was to address the public safety challenge, raise public awareness of the law and attempt to prevent other tragedies on U.S. roadways. 

“Knoxville District troopers will work with the Tennessee Department of Transportation HELP Truck operators to help ensure their safety by enforcing the ‘Move Over’ law during the three-day I-75 challenge,” Colonel Trott said. “It’s our hope that our enforcement efforts will help educate the public about the importance of the law and reduce preventable accidents involving emergency first responders.”

State troopers issued 432 speeding and 348 seat belt citations during the three-day challenge on I-75 this past March. Thirty-five reckless drivers were also ticketed and 24 suspects were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

“There were zero traffic fatalities in the Knoxville District during the I-75 challenge in March. We hope to have that same success during this weekend’s traffic safety effort with our increased patrols and educational efforts throughout the Knoxville region,” Captain David McGill said, the commander over the THP Knoxville District.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (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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