Sixteen people lost their lives on Tennessee roadways during last year’s Thanksgiving Day Holiday period, and AAA predicts a four per cent increase in traffic here in the Volunteer State.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol along with local law enforcement agencies will be extremely visible throughout the holiday period. The holiday officially begins at 6:00 o'clock Wednesday night (11/23) and continues to midnight Sunday (11/27/2011). State Troopers will saturate the interstate systems and high-crash corridors across Tennessee, placing an emphasis on impaired driving, seat belt usage, and traffic law compliance.
Commissioner Bill Gibbons said, “Our State Troopers are covering a large portion of the interstates to ensure motorists are obeying the law and wearing seat belts. We want everyone traveling in and through Tennessee to get to their destination safely. We urge all motorists to start the holidays off on the right foot and buckle up on every trip.”
Buckle-Up...It Works!
Eight of the 12 vehicle occupants who were killed during the 2010 Thanksgiving Holiday weekend were not wearing safety restraints. Although safety belt usage climbed to 87 percent in 2011, more than 59 percent of passenger vehicle occupants killed in Tennessee traffic crashes were not wearing a safety belt in 2010 (among known seatbelt usage). 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.
Coloney Tracy Mott notes, “The research shows that it’s almost nine times safer to wear your seat belt every time you get in the car.”
Each of the eight THP Districts has its own enforcement plan for the Thanksgiving Holiday period, including bar checks, line and saturation patrols, as well as stationary observation.
Year To Date
As of November 21, preliminary statistics indicate that 837 people have died on Tennessee roadways in 2011, a decrease of 113 deaths compared to 950 fatalities at this same time a year ago. Many of the deaths could have easily been prevented by simply buckling a seatbelt.
