Kendell Poole
Traffic fatalities in Anderson County are up significantly this year, and Tennessee officials and local law enforcement agencies will announce a campaign on Monday to crack down on drivers not using seat belts or driving while impaired during the holidays.
The announcement is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, November 10, at the Oak Ridge Civic Center at 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike.
Among those participating will be Kendell Poole, director of the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office, and members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, as well as representatives of the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, and Oak Ridge, Clinton, Norris, and Rocky Top police departments.
“There have been 16 traffic fatalities in Anderson County in 2014, which represents a 77 percent increase compared to 2013,” a press release said. “This is the third highest year-to-date difference in fatalities that an individual county has seen in Tennessee. Seventy-five percent of the fatalities were unrestrained. In an effort to prevent additional fatalities and injuries, Anderson County agencies will be increasing enforcement and conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.”
Besides Poole, others who will participate in the Monday afternoon press event on the holiday traffic safety campaign are:
- Steve Dillard, law enforcement liaison, Governor’s Highway Safety Office;
- Captain David McGill, Tennessee Highway Patrol;
- Sheriff Paul White, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department;
- Chief James Akagi, Oak Ridge Police Department;
- Chief Rick Scarbrough, Clinton Police Department;
- Chief Jim Shetterly, Rocky Top Police Department; and
- Lieutenant Gary Wood, Norris Police Department.
For more information about the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.
Kay Williamson says
Laws need to be changed that you can’t be on the phone at all while driving, Even scrolling my phone to call someone I myself have nearly wrecked, Texting while driving among the young people is horrible. If you drive in the afternoon school traffic there is at least 3 or 4 near you at all times texting while driving. Sad that it will only get worse with the advancement of technologies/cars. Talk to your kids. We so need to do something soon before this situation grows more.