Nearly 2,000 citations were issued in Knoxville over Thanksgiving
Officers with both the Knoxville Police Department (KPD) and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) stepped up their patrol of area roadways during a 104-hour period beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21 through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 25. By the time the enhanced enforcement period was over, 1,013 traffic citations had been issued by KPD. THP had issued 795, 54 less than the previous year.
A spokesperson for the KPD notes that at least 11 motorists were stopped on suspicion of drunk driving during the enhanced enforcement period this year. Six of those individuals were arrested on Thanksgiving Day itself. As for its part, THP arrested nine individuals on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI).
The KPD spokesperson also notes that another 116 drivers who were stopped were either driving on suspended or revoked licenses or simply didn’t have one. THP troopers stopped at least 21 motorists for the same reason.
Over the holiday weekend, KPD officers responded to a single fatal car crash on Western Avenue. There were 75 other crashes in the city which resulted in varying degrees of injuries. THP troopers responded to an additional 16 injury crashes during this time frame. There were also 36 incidents involving property damage that they responded to. At least 53 other motorists called for help for other reasons.
During the enhanced enforcement period, troopers handed out at least eight citations for reckless driving, 103 for moving violations and 318 for speeding. Another 86 motorists were cited for not wearing seat belts. At least 250 of the citations issued were for nonmoving violations.
One of the reasons that police departments often perform enhanced patrols over holiday weekends is because this is when more people are off work and are out on the road.
Most of us are well aware of the impact that drunk or reckless driving, speeding and other moving violations can have on the severity of injuries if we’re involved in a crash. If you were hurt in one over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, then you’ll want to consult with an experienced Knoxville car accidents attorney who can provide you with your legal options for seeking compensation.