THP Continues to Use Enforcement Campaigns to Improve Safety Preliminary figures indicate the number of traffic fatalities on Tennessee roadways has increased for the first time in five years, rising from 986 in 2009 to 1,030 in 2010, with 30 percent of the change attributed to pedestrian fatalities. Aiming to reduce that number, improve highway safety and save lives, the Tennessee Highway Patrol will once again participate in several enforcement initiatives in 2011.
According to Department of Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons, “It is important that we remain vigilant in protecting our roadways and reducing fatal and injury crashes in Tennessee. Safer highways and byways is one of our top priorities. With enforcement initiatives to detect and remove impaired drivers from the roadways to education programs that focus on increasing safety belt usage, the Highway Patrol is making every effort to ensure the public’s safety and to save lives.”
Last year’s preliminary figure of 1,030 traffic fatalities rank as the second lowest number of deaths since 1963 when 941 people were killed in crashes on Tennessee roadways.
Funding provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distributed through the Governor’s Highway Safety Office (GHSO), and financial support from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has allowed the THP to continue its commitment to providing increased enforcement and public awareness campaigns for the safety and security on Tennessee roadways.
Alcohol-related fatalities have declined in Tennessee, while statistics show safety belt usage has improved significantly since the introduction of the state’s Primary Safety Belt Law. Impaired driving deaths decreased from 377 in 2007 to 303 in 2009, representing 31 percent of the state’s traffic fatalities. According to 2010 data, the safety belt usage rate in Tennessee was 87.1 percent. However, despite increases, 54 percent of the total passenger vehicle occupants killed in fatal crashes were not buckled up.
