They reminded us to have full situational awareness at all times. During a traffic stop, eating at a restaurant, or even pumping gas.
Keep buckling up, Chattanooga.
While every other district in Tennessee has seen an increase in traffic fatalities this year, Chattanooga has decreased its year-to-date numbers, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
“We are leading the state in traffic fatality reduction,” said Tennessee Highway Patrol Lt. John Harmon.
In the 12 counties served by the Chattanooga division of THP, there have been 51 fatalities this year, down from 63 at this time last year. Hamilton and Bradley counties have seen the sharpest declines from 2015 – both managed to reduce by six the number of fatalities.
Harmon said those numbers can be attributed to a number of things.
“More drivers are seeing the consequences of not wearing their seat belts and buckling up,” he said. “Also, our partnership with TDOT with their portable message boards with safety messages through the 12 counties that we serve. Simple messages like ‘NO FATAL CRASH TODAY / ARRIVE ALIVE’ that remind drivers to drive safe.”
The news about decreasing fatalities comes less than a week after THP was named the top highway patrol or state police agency in the nation in its size category, consisting of between 501 and 1,500 troopers. The agency also received two awards for traffic incident management and technology.
That honor was part of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Challenge, a competition designed to compare and contrast public safety efforts by different state agencies.
“It’s an honor to receive notification on the 2016 awards to be given at the IACP International Conference in San Diego this October. This is a testament to the dedication, passion, and professionalism exhibited daily by the men and women of the THP,” said THP Col. Tracy Trott.
“The over 850 troopers who work daily to represent our department and make our state safe are the main ingredients that combine to keep our citizens safe,” he said.
Following the award, Trott and THP Commissioner Bill Gibbons were on a whirlwind tour of the state, visiting each district with a message of praise for good work done and a reminder for troopers to maintain constant vigilance.
“They were showing their appreciation of all the hard work our troopers are doing,” Harmon said.
Harmon said the caution for safety came in part because of the charged climate surrounding the public perception of law enforcement after events like the shooting in Dallas that killed five officers two weeks ago.
“They reminded us to have full situational awareness at all times,” he said. “During a traffic stop, eating at a restaurant, or even pumping gas.”
Contact staff writer Emmett Gienapp at egienapp@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6731.