Agencies to increase enforcement for ‘Safe on 70’ campaign

JACKSON, Tenn. — Highway 70 runs more than 500 miles across the state of Tennessee from Memphis to Bristol. On Oct. 23 and Oct. 26, the Tennessee Highway Patrol will partner with the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Tennessee Highway Safety Office to add extra patrols to the highway.

“We’re doing our best to reduce the traffic fatalities across the state,” Lt. Brad Wilbanks said. “Right now, we’re below for last year at this time, and we want to keep it that way.”

Tuesdays and Fridays between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. have been identified as high-crash periods for Highway 70. So agencies will be out on the road trying to prevent human error that could lead to crashes.

“If we can get you to change your habits, when you are in a crash, you’re so much more likely to survive or not be injured,” Wilbanks said.

One of those habits: wearing a seat belt.

“We’re educated enough in our society that everybody should wear a seat belt,” Wilbanks said.

Nichole Lawrence, with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, says this is a statewide effort.

“We are working with THP next week to alert people of the safe driving habits that they can retain while driving anywhere along any of our highways, bust especially on 70,” Lawrence said.

They have the same goal as the THP. “We just want to make sure that everyone is driving awake and aware and not distracted,” she said.

While there will be increased patrols on Highway 70, the THP says they will still patrol their normal routes as well.