(December 3, 2014) JACKSON Tenn — In a press conference the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced the preliminary number of four traffic fatalities statewide during the 2014 Thanksgiving Holiday period, which began on midnight Wednesday, Nov. 26 and ended at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30.
According to the Department of Safety, if this year’s preliminary figures remain, it would mark the lowest number of vehicular deaths during the Thanksgiving holiday period since the seven traffic deaths in 1983. In 2013, there were 12 vehicular deaths during the 120-hour Thanksgiving holiday.
The department also reported that none of this year’s holiday traffic fatalities occurred in alcohol-related crashes. Two of the individuals killed were not wearing seat belts.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol tells us there were zero traffic fatalities on Interstate 40 during the “I-40 Challenge” over the Thanksgiving period. The challenge was held on the busiest travel days of the holiday, specifically from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26 and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30.
Officials say Tennessee state troopers investigated a total of 78 crashes (one alcohol-related), arrested six individuals on suspicion of impaired driving and issued 238 seat belt citations on I-40 during the two-day challenge periods. They also inspected 215 commercial vehicles in that time frame, placing 16 drivers and nine vehicles out of service, respectively.
