Preliminary statistics indicate 10 people were killed in traffic crashes in Tennessee during the 2014 Labor Day holiday period that began at midnight on Friday, Aug. 29, and concluded at 11:59 p.m. on Monday. That is down from the 16 vehicular fatalities that occurred during last year’s Labor Day holiday.
During the 96-hour holiday period, eight of the people killed were vehicle occupants, one motorcyclist died and one pedestrian was killed. Four (50%) of the deceased vehicle occupants were not wearing seat belts and three of the vehicular fatalities occurred in alcohol-related crashes.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol also arrested 56 individuals on suspicion of impaired driving in the nine-county “No Refusal” enforcement effort this Labor Day period.
The participating counties, included,
Union (Knoxville District); Hamilton and Marion (Chattanooga District); Montgomery (Nashville District); Shelby (Memphis District); Hawkins (Fall Branch District); Smith (Cookeville); Maury (Lawrenceburg); and Hardin County (Jackson District).
Of the 10 traffic fatalities, one occurred in a “No Refusal” area (Hamilton County) during the holiday. Additionally, four warrants were obtained for a blood sample under the “No Refusal” law in two of the participating counties.
The results for the nine-county “No Refusal” enforcement effort are listed below.
Union County
DUI arrests: 5
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 0
Hamilton County
DUI arrests: 3
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 2
Marion County
DUI Arrests: 5
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 0
Montgomery County
DUI Arrests: 5
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 0
Shelby County
DUI Arrests: 17
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 2
Hawkins County
DUI Arrests: 1
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 0
Smith County
DUI Arrests: 5
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 0
Maury County
DUI Arrests: 13
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 0
Hardin County
DUI Arrests: 2
Refusal to take BAC test/
Search warrants obtained for blood samples: 0