(August 30, 2013) Jackson, Tenn.- The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons and Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott announced another “No Refusal” Campaign for the holiday weekend. The “No Refusal” law allows law enforcement agents to seek search warrants for blood samples in cases involving suspected impaired drivers.
The Independence Day holiday also saw a use of the "No Refusal" policy.
This enforcement will be carried out in 11 counties across the state. The special enforcement began at 6PM on Friday and will continue to 11:59PM on Monday September 2.
Those 11 counties are Roane County in the Knoxville District); Marion, McMinn, Meigs and Sequatchie Counties in the Chattanooga District; Rutherford County in the Nashville District; Fayette County in the Memphis District; Carter County in the Fall Branch District; Putnam County in the Cookeville District; Giles County in the Lawrenceburg District; and Henry County in the Jackson District.
In a press release earlier in the week, Colonel Trott noted that 3,728 individuals have been arrested for impaired driving from January 1 through August 24 of this year. That is a 9% increase from the 3,414 arrested in 2012.
During the Labor Day holiday weekend last year, 12 people were killed in 11 fatal crashes. 64% of those that were killed were not wearing seat belts.
Overall, 630 have died on Tennessee roadways as of August 27. That is a 8% decrease from 684 fatalities in the same time period in 2012.
