Nashville, Tennessee – Statewide St. Patrick’s Day DUI Checkpoint Schedule 2010
By admin • Mar 15th, 2010 • Category: DUI Checkpoints, Lead Story, TNDISCLAIMER - Any Charges Reported in these Press Releases are Merely Accusations and the Defendants are Presumed Innocent Unless and Until Proven Guilty.
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Highway Patrol urges motorists to designate a sober driver and don’t depend on dump luck this St. Patrick’s Day. Tennessee Highway Patrol Troopers will conduct more than 50 sobriety and driver license checkpoints across the state in an effort to find and remove impaired drivers from Tennessee roadways. The official 2010 St. Patrick’s Day holiday begins at 6:00 p.m., March 16, 2010, and runs through 6:59 a.m. on Friday, March 19, 2010.
For many Americans, St. Patrick’s Day has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, due to the large number of drunk drivers, the night out has also become very dangerous. In Tennessee, three people were killed in three fatal crashes during the 2009 St. Patrick’s Holiday, and two of those crashes involved alcohol.
“Whether you are meeting a few friends at the local establishment or restaurant after work or attending the neighborhood ethnic celebration, if you plan on using alcohol, never drive impaired,” said Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “And never let your friends drive if you think they are impaired.” “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk.”
On St. Patrick’s Day 2008, nationwide, 37 percent of drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Department of Safety statistics from 2003 to 2009 show that March 18 ranks fourth in average daily alcohol involved crashes. During this period, approximately 33 percent of crashes that occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. on March 18 involved alcohol, 11 percentage points higher than a typical early morning.
“Driving impaired is simply not worth the risk,” said THP Colonel Mike Walker. “Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be really significant. Don’t depend on dumb luck this St. Patrick’s Day. Designate your sober driver before the party begins.”
A driver convicted of DUI can face up to 48 hours in jail and the loss of driving privileges for up to a year for a first offense. The associated costs of driving impaired also included attorney fees, court costs, reinstatement fees and higher insurance premiums. There is also the risk of paying the worst cost of all—your life or the life of someone else. In 2009, preliminary statistics indicate that 976 people died on Tennessee roadways, a decline of 6 percent, compared to 1,043 fatalities in 2008. In 2008, 327 people, 32 percent, died in highway
crashes in Tennessee involving a driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. For more information, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org. A list of safe driving tips and scheduled checkpoints for the St. Patrick’s Holiday are included in this release. Statistical data for St. Patrick’s Day 2000-2009 are attached.
SAFE ST. PATRICK’S DAY DRIVING TIPS
• Plan Ahead. If you’ll be drinking, arrange a safe way home before the festivities begin.
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and give that person your keys.
• If you’re impaired, call a taxi, use public transportation, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
• Use the local Sober Ride program.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, promptly contact your local law enforcement agency (Dial *THP)
• Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. If you or someone who is about to drive or ride with someone who is impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
• Drunk driving violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses, ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs and lost wages due to time off from work.
• And remember, the tragedies and costs of driving drunk are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for drunk driving are significant.
• Of Tennessee’s 1,043 fatalities in 2008, 327 (32 percent) occurred in crashes involving one or more drivers with an illegal BAC (0.08+).
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.TN.Gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY
DRIVER LICENSE & SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS
DIST. 1 KNOXVILLE
Wednesday, March 17
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT MONROE COUNTY U.S. HIGHWAY 411 @ MAX RD EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT ANDERSON COUNTY SR 170 @ CUB EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT CAMPBELL COUNTY SR 116 @ VFW EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT CAMPBELL COUNTY SR 63 @ OLD SR 63 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT KNOX COUNTY SR 62 NEAR SR 162 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT KNOX COUNTY CHEROKEE TRAIL @ CHEROKEE BLUFF EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT LOUDON COUNTY HWY 411 @ LOUDON/MONROE LINE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT LOUDON COUNTY HWY 11 @ SUNNYSIDE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT MONROE COUNTY HWY 411 @ MONROE/LOUDON LINE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT MONROE COUNTY 72E @ US 411 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT ROANE COUNTY PANSY HILL RD EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT ROANE COUNTY HWY 70 @ POLAND HOLLAND RD EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT SEVIER COUNTY UPPPER MIDDLE CREEK RD EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT UNION COUNTY HICKORY STAR RD @ HICKORY VALLEY EVENING
Thursday, March 18
DL CHECKPOINT KNOX COUNTY JOHN SEVIER HWY 168 @ FRENCH RD LATE EVENING
DIST. 2 CHATTANOOGA
Wednesday, March 17
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT SEQUATCHIE COUNTY U.S. HIGHWAY 127 @ CATES ST EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT BRADLEY COUNTY U.S. HWY 11 NORTH NEAR OLD CHARLESTON RD EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT GRUNDY COUNTY HIGHWAY 56@ CLOUSE HWY EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT HAMILTON COUNTY KELLY ST @ E 20TH AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT MCMINN COUNTY HWY 30 @ OLD ATHENS POST EVENING
DIST. 3 NASHVILLE
Friday, March 12
DL CHECKPOINT CHEATHAM COUNTY RIVER ROAD @ LOST HOLLOW EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT DICKSON COUNTY HIGHWAY 47 @ MONTGOMERY BELL MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT HOUSTON COUNTY HIGHWAY 149 @ BUCKEYE RD AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT HUMPHREYS COUNTY HIGHWAY 13 @ 1 MILE NORTH OF I-40 MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT RUTHERFORD COUNTY BRAGG HWY @ MT HERMAN RD AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT RUTHERFORD COUNTY BRADYVILLE PIKE @ GHEE RD AFTERNOON
DL CHECKPOINT SUMNER COUNTY HIGHWAY 31 W @ BARRY LANE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT WILLIAMSON COUNTY SR 96 @ MM 4 MORNING
Wednesday, March 17
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT CHEATHAM COUNTY HIGHWAY 70 @ BUTTERWORTH RD EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT DICKSON COUNTY LEWIS HOLLOW RD @ SKYLINE DR EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT MONTGOMERY COUNTY HIGHWAY 149 @ STEWART CO. LINE EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT SUMNER COUNTY 31 E @ MM 10 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT DAVIDSON COUNTY HOBSON PIKE @ PRIEST BRIDGE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT STEWART COUNTY HIGHWAY 149 @ HIGHWAY 434 NOON
DL CHECKPOINT SUMNER COUNTY HIGHWAY 25 @ BARRY LANE EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT WILSON COUNTY MT JULIET @ CENTRAL PIKE EVENING
Friday, March 19
DL CHECKPOINT HOUSTON COUNTY HIGHWAY 149 @ ERIN CITY LIMITS MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT MONTGOMERY COUNTY HIGHWAY 79 W @ STEWART CO. LINE EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT HUMPHREYS COUNTY CLYDETON RD @ DOGWOOD RD EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT RUTHERFORD COUNTY SALEM @ OLD SALEM EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT WILLIAMSON COUNTY OLD COLUMBIA PIKE EVENING
DIST. 4 MEMPHIS
Wednesday, March 17
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT HAYWOOD COUNTY SR 76 NORTH OF SR 179 EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT OBION COUNTY SR 214 NORTH OF MM 4 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT TIPTON COUNTY SR 179 EAST OF MM 3 EVENING
DIST. 5 FALL BRANCH
Wednesday, March 17
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT COCKE COUNTY US HWY 25/70 TENTH MILE WEST OF KOA EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT HANCOCK COUNTY TN 33 @ MM 13 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT SULLIVAN COUNTY CARDEN HOLLOW RD @ KATIE LANE EVENING
DIST. 6 COOKEVILLE
Wednesday, March 17
Troopers will conduct Saturation Patrols on SR 111 in Putnam County, Hwy 111 & 52 in Fentress County, Hwy 111 & 52 in Overton County, Hwy 111 & 127 in Pickett County, as well as Saturation Patrols in Cannon, Clay, Jackson, Macon, and Trousdale counties.
DIST. 7 LAWRENCEBURG
Wednesday, March 17
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT LEWIS COUNTY U.S. HIGHWAY 412E @ MM 24 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT LINCOLN COUNTY U.S. HWY 64 @ MM 25 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT MAURY COUNTY HWY 7 NORTH .2 MILE SOUTH OF MILITARY RD MORNING
DL CHECKPOINT HICKMAN COUNTY HWY 7 @ HICKMAN/MAURY LINE EVENING
Friday, March 19
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT BEDFORD COUNTY HWY 231 @ SHELBYVILLE CITY LIMITS EVENING
DIST. 8 JACKSON
Wednesday, March 17
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT MADISON COUNTY US HWY 45 EVENING
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT HARDIN COUNTY SR 226 EVENING
DL CHECKPOINT WEAKLEY COUNTY SR 124 EVENING
Tennessee DRIVING LAWS
Tennessee DUI Laws, Penalties & FinesTennessee SR22 Insurance
Tennessee Teen Driving Laws
Tennessee Cell Phone and Text Messaging Laws
admin is
Email this author | All posts by admin
