Officers will be out in force over holiday weekend
Law enforcement will be taking to the streets over the Thanksgiving weekend in hopes of keeping the roads safe over the heavily traveled holiday period.
“We plan to step up enforcement over the holiday,” said McMinnville Police Capt. Bryan Denton. “Our officers will be highly visible so hopefully motorists will observe the speed laws and drive safely. We will also be keeping a careful eye out for drunk drivers so people need to think before they drink.”
In addition to heavy patrols in the city, motorists can expect to see officers out in large numbers around the state as the highway patrol mobilizes during the extended weekend.
“Troopers will be out in large numbers during the 102-hour period,” said Tennessee Department of Safety Commissioner Jerry W. Scott. “This is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year and it is also one of the most deadly.”
Last year, 17 people died on Tennessee highways over the Thanksgiving holiday, an average of one death every six hours. Of the number killed, 67 percent were not wearing seatbelts, most of which were ejected from their vehicles. Six of the fatalities were alcohol-related.
With the high death rate coming in cases where people did not wear seatbelts, authorities are encouraging motorists to buckle up themselves and their passengers, even when going on short trips.
“We can’t say it enough – seatbelts save lives,” said THP Col. Mark V. Fagan. “We encourage all motorists to be on their best driving behavior during their travels, for their sake and the sake of others who are on the road.”
The official holiday period runs from 6 p.m. tonight until midnight Sunday.