Traffic Deaths Decline in Tennessee
A law enforcement official says that an increase in focused enforcement efforts on drunken driving and seatbelt use has helped to decrease the number of traffic fatalities across the state last year. The preliminary numbers from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security as well as the Department of Transportation show that there were 963 traffic deaths in the state in 2014. That number is 32 fewer deaths than the total in 2013, when 995 fatalities were reported.
In a joint statement released by both organizations, they reported that this is the second-lowest number of traffic fatalities in the state since 1963. The Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a press release that they credit these numbers on the focus law enforcement has put on finding intoxicated and unbelted drivers. The Highway Patrol said that state troopers arrested almost 2,000 more people on suspicion of DUI in 2014 than in 2013. As a result, the year had an 18.6% decline in DUI-related deaths.
The agencies are crediting traffic enforcement efforts in making a difference in the number of traffic fatalities in Tennessee. “Those numbers are not by accident; they are by design. We’ve placed a greater emphasis on removing impaired drivers from our roadways in the last few years, and the traffic fatality figures are a result of those efforts.”
In addition, the Tennessee Highway Patrol also focused on seatbelt usage and the use of child restraints in vehicles. They issued 102,758 citations this year for lack of proper restraints in the car, as opposed to only about 74,000 in 2013. The crackdown on seatbelt usage has improved the probability that drivers and passengers in vehicles will wear them, thus decreasing the chances that they will suffer from serious injury or death in an auto accident.
Tennessee Traffic Accident Statistics
Tennessee reported 963 traffic-related fatalities for 2014. Of those deaths, 99 had a teenage driver involved in the accident. In addition, 210 of those accidents involved a senior driver in the crash. The largest amount of accidents happened over the summer with May, June, and August having 92, 94, and 100 fatalities, respectively. These accidents were split almost evenly between rural and urban areas.
In addition, 86 pedestrians and five cyclists were killed on the roads in Tennessee last year. Large trucks were involved in 104 fatal accidents, and buses were involved in ten. In total, 122 motorcyclists, nineteen ATV riders, and three other vehicles were also involved in accidents that resulted in death on the roads in 2014.
Contact a Tennessee Accident Lawyer
Although the number of traffic accidents has decreased across the state, the physical, mental, and financial results of a traffic accident remain the same. If you or someone that you know has been injured in a traffic accident in the Nashville area, let the experienced personal injury lawyers at Calhoun Law, PLC help. Call or contact the office today for a free and confidential consultation of your case.
