THP cracks down on drivers

A total of 15 police officers participated in a Tennessee Highway Patrol sobriety checkpoint Friday, Nov. 20 in Woodbury.

"Officers participated from THP, Woodbury Police Department, and Cannon County Sheriff's Office," said THP Sgt. William H. Prater.

"512 cars passed throug the checkpoint and 9 were detained for further investigation," Prater said.

The checkpoint was held on State Route 70S between the Tennessee Farmers Co-op and Davenport Service Station.
Eight citations were issued for the following violations:
1 Misdemeanor drug possession
2 Registration law
1 Suspended drivers license
1 Driver license law
1 Seatbelt law
2 Financial responsibility law

The Cannon County checkpoint preceded the statewide, third annual "Interstate 40 Challenge: The Drive to Zero Fatalities" traffic safety initiative scheduled for the Thanksgiving holiday period.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott was joined by Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons, Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer, Governor's Highway Safety Office Director Kendell Poole to announce the I-40 challenge.

"The THP cares about you and your family and wants you to have the best holiday season possible. The THP is going to do all that we can to protect you. One of the most difficult jobs for our troopers is working fatal crashes, and then having to notify family of their loved ones passing. I do not want another Tennessee family to feel that heartbreak," Trott said.

Interstate-40 runs 2,555 miles through eight states, and has more miles in Tennessee than any other state with 455 miles. In 2014 on Interstate 40, Tennessee state troopers investigated 16 crashes on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and 40 wrecks on the Sunday after the holiday. None of those crashes was alcohol-related.
Tennessee state troopers also issued 62 seat belt citations on I-40 on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2014, coupled with 33 seat belt tickets on the Sunday after the holiday. They also arrested two individuals on suspicion of impaired driving on I-40 on the two challenge days.
To date in 2015, Tennessee state troopers have arrested 6,748 individuals on suspicion of impaired driving. That represents a 68 percent increase over the last five years.