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THP Out In Full Force For Thanksgiving Holiday Period
Posted on November 20, 2012
Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons and the Tennessee Highway Patrol's Colonel Tracy Trott are reminding citizens to expect a "No Refusal" and high-visibility, safe driving enforcement campaign during the 2012 Thanksgiving Holiday period. The "No Refusal" enforcement will begin at 6 p.m., Wednesday, November 21st and end at midnight, Sunday, November 25th.
The "No Refusal" law allows law enforcement officials to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers. The goal is to deter impaired driving and reduce fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways. The Thanksgiving Holiday marks the third "No Refusal" enforcement effort, following campaigns over the Fourth of July and Labor Day holiday periods.
"Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday travel season for millions of Americans. In Tennessee, State Troopers, prosecutors and judges in 16 counties across the state have joined together to ensure drunk drivers are removed from the roadways and travelers get to their destination safely. We thank both the local and state officials in advance for their participation in this effort," Commissioner Gibbons said.
Nine people lost their lives on Tennessee roadways during last year's Thanksgiving Day Holiday period. That is a decrease of 43.8 percent over the total from 2010 (16).
"We anticipate an increase in traffic through Tennessee during the holidays," Colonel Trott said. "State Troopers will saturate the interstate systems and high-crash corridors and place an emphasis on impaired driving, seat belt usage and traffic law compliance. Our goal is to save lives."
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