Oak Ridge Today

Highway safety initiative comes to Roane County

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If you are wondering what these message boards and yard signs are doing all over town, wonder no more.

The portable message boards have a simple message of “Buckle Up Tonight” that flashes twice as each car passes. The yard signs read on one side “Buckle Up Tonight to See Tomorrow.” The message on the other reads “Exercise Some Restraint When You Go Out Tonight,” and it shows a seatbelt graphic.

This is part of a campaign organized by University of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research. This initiative is funded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Tennessee Highway Safety Office to increase nighttime seat belt use. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge police increase DUI enforcement during holidays

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The Oak Ridge Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office to enhance DUI enforcement from December 18 to January 3, surrounding the holiday season. The statewide Booze It and Lose It campaign is part of a national mobilization to prevent drunk driving.

During the first nine months of this year, Tennessee experienced 4,740 known alcohol-related crashes. That equates to an average of 17 people each day making the decision to get behind the wheel after they have been drinking.

During the holiday times, the Oak Ridge Police Department will be conducting saturation patrols throughout the city. Officer will be focusing on impaired driving, distracted driving, unrestrained motorist, as well as other traffic violations.

“We can’t stand to see this tragic loss of life again and again,” said Chief of Police James T. Akagi. “The hardest part of the job is making that house call and telling a family that their loved one is gone because someone chose to drink and drive. That’s why, leading up to the holidays, we will show zero tolerance for drunk drivers on the road. Please find a safe and sober ride home.” [Read more…]

ACSD participating in Click It or Ticket this weekend

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Click It or Ticket Day and Night

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will take part in the Click It or Ticket—National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization by conducting saturation patrols during this Memorial Day holiday period, a press release said.

As part of the enforcement, a sobriety checkpoint was held Friday evening, May 22, on Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs. It was to be a multi-agency effort sponsored by the Oliver Springs Police Department and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, the press release said.

The Click It or Ticket—National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization runs through May 31. [Read more…]

State officials, local agencies to crack down on seat belt use, impaired driving

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Kendell Poole

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.” [Read more…]

Officers cracking down on drunk, impaired drivers on Labor Day weekend

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Drive Sober

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will be out in force this Labor Day holiday as part of the “Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over” crackdown on drunk driving, a press release said.

“This effective nationwide campaign will include high-visibility enforcement throughout Anderson County,” Sheriff Paul White said in a press release. “The ‘Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over’ campaign will focus on drunk and impaired drivers with increased enforcement.”

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will take part in this campaign by saturation patrols during the Labor Day holiday period, which runs through September 1. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a Drunk Driving Prevention Campaign on Friday, August 29, in cooperation with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Sheriff’s deputies and state troopers will take aim at impaired or drunk drivers throughout Anderson County in an effort to reduce traffic crashes and fatalities, White said. [Read more…]

Anderson Sheriff taking part in Click It or Ticket, sobriety checkpoint

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Click It or Ticket Day and Night

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will take part in the Click It or Ticket-National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization by conducting saturation patrols during this Memorial Day holiday period, a press release said.

A sobriety checkpoint will also be held the evening of Friday, May 23, on Tri-County Boulevard in Oliver Springs. This will be a multi-agency effort sponsored by the Oliver Springs Police Department and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

The Click It or Ticket-National Seat Belt Enforcement Mobilization runs from May 19 through June 1, the press release said. [Read more…]

Guest column: Celebrate safely during proms, graduations

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Paul White

Paul White

It’s that time of year again. Proms, graduations, and other events mark the end of the school year. Memories of these wonderful occasions will be with our youth for the rest of their lives.

Our young students headed to the prom and from graduations are reminded not to drink and drive. Deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will be out in force on prom nights and after graduations. DUI, illegal drugs, and underage drinking will get you a stay at the county jail.

The Sheriff Department also reminds teens that getting caught drinking while under the age of 21 can result in losing a driver’s license, getting suspended from school, ejected from sports teams, and even banned from graduation ceremonies. [Read more…]

Anderson sheriff joins state, local police in ‘Drive to Zero Fatalities’

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DUI Logo

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will join the Tennessee Highway Patrol and local police agencies in cooperation with the Governor’s Highway Safety Office in a nationwide campaign to reduce traffic fatalities by 15 percent in 2014, a press release said. The Drive To Zero Fatalities was initiated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is being promoted by the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police.

The Drive to Zero Fatalities campaign is a data-driven effort that will focus on several traffic safety goals, the press release said. Sheriff’s deputies, state troopers, and local police officers will work together to reduce fatalities in Anderson County and to step up enforcement efforts for drunk and impaired drivers, distracted drivers, speeding, and seat belt use. Saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints will be a part of this effort. [Read more…]

Anderson County authorities watching for impaired drivers

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The July 4 holiday is one of the deadliest, and Anderson County authorities are stepping up their efforts this week to catch drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol.

“Too many people die behind the wheel each year due to those who choose to drive after drinking, so our deputies will be out in full force this Fourth of July showing zero tolerance for impaired drivers,” Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said in a press release.

[Read more…]