Oak Ridge Today

ASAP Youth Ambassadors encourage peers to be safe, sober on Prom Night

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This time of year, high school students are looking forward to those wonderful milestone moments like prom and graduation. Regrettably, these milestones can sometimes go hand in hand with tragedy when mixed with drugs or alcohol, a press release said.

ASAP of Anderson Youth Ambassadors Coalition (YAC) are encouraging their peers to be safe and sober on prom night, the press release said. The ASAP YAC is made up of students from Anderson County, Clinton, and Oak Ridge high schools. Students designed posters that will hang throughout their schools in the coming weeks before prom to remind students they can “choose their fate.” This message corresponds with ASAP’s #IAMONE campaign. The campaign encourages youth to declare #IAMONE who will not use drugs or alcohol, the press release said.

[Read more…]

Alcohol involved in nearly half of all deadly crashes on July 4

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July 4 Traffic Safety

Alcohol leads to nearly half of all deadly crashes on July 4, according to information provided by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department.

“Every year, Americans head out on our nation’s highways to celebrate the Fourth of July at picnics, parties, parades, and more,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a press release. “Regrettably, for many, the celebrating includes drinking alcohol, which often leads to drunk driving on one of the most heavily traveled holidays of the year.”

To crack down on drunk driving around Independence Day, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will be out in full force, aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger, the press release said. [Read more…]

Sheriff’s Department, Highway Safety Office increase impaired-driving enforcement during holidays

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To promote traffic safety and help save lives this holiday season, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to increase impaired-driving enforcement during the holiday season, a press release said.

The THSO’s statewide Booze It and Lose It campaign is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over nationwide mobilization, the press release said.

There are these simple steps people can take to stay safe and out of trouble: [Read more…]

ORPD working to increase use of seat belts, safety restraints for children

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The Oak Ridge Police Department is working with state officials to increase the use of seat belts and safety restraints for children, a press release said.

The ORPD is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, or THSO, for its annual Seatbelts Are For Everyone, or SAFE, campaign. This statewide initiative is designed to increase seatbelt usage and child passenger safety restraint usage through the implementation of occupant-protection programs, public events, and checkpoints throughout local communities across Tennessee, the press release said.

The SAFE campaign began February 24, and it will conclude on August 1. [Read more…]

Thanksgiving Traffic Safety: Buckle up every time, authorities say

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Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year, and more people on the road increases the likelihood of a crash and, perhaps, a fatality. These deaths represent needless tragedies for families all across America. But even more tragic is that many of these fatalities could have been prevented with the simple click of a seat belt.

Before you hit the road this Thanksgiving: “Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.”

The national “Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.” seat belt awareness campaign helps remind Thanksgiving travelers and all drivers about the importance of buckling up—every trip—every time.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department is joining in a national effort to send Thanksgiving travelers an important lifesaving reminder to “Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.” Sheriff’s deputies will be out this Thanksgiving holiday to keep the roads and highways safe. [Read more…]

Sheriff warns against drunk driving this holiday weekend

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4th of July GHSO

By Anderson County Sheriff’s Department

Every year, Americans head out on the nation’s highways to celebrate the Fourth of July at picnics, parties, parades, and more. Unfortunately, for many, the celebrating includes drinking alcohol, which too often leads to drunk driving on one of the most heavily traveled holidays of the year.

To crack down on drunk driving this Independence Day weekend, Anderson County law enforcement will be out in full force, aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger.

Sheriff’s deputies will be out working to make the roadways safe.

“Don’t even think about drinking and driving this Fourth of July, or you will be arrested,” said Sheriff Paul White. “The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving…no excuses.” [Read more…]

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…]