TAZEWELL, Tenn. (WATE) — Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, East Tennessee law enforcement is launching a traffic safety campaign aimed at reducing speeding on State Highway 25E and Highway 33.
The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), Tazewell Police Department and New Tazewell Police Department announced the “No Need to Speed on 25E and Hwy 33” campaign on Monday. The effort includes the first and fifth districts of THP, as well as local law enforcement agencies located along this route. It acts as a way to bolster efforts by law enforcement to reduce traffic injuries and deaths.
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“The Tennessee Highway Patrol, in and of itself, if we were left to our own devices, we wouldn’t be able to undertake such a huge endeavor. In contrast, when we are working collaboratively with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, and we’re bringing in all these other additional law enforcement agencies, like Tazewell and New Tazewell and the sheriff’s departments. It is a force multiplier for us. And what that means is that means more officers on that particular stretch of roadway, we’re doing joint sobriety checkpoints together on those specific roadways,” said Kevin Kimbrough, a captain with THP.
Law enforcement will be targeting impaired drivers, distracted drivers, seatbelt usage, hazardous moving, those driving recklessly, and those driving over the posted speed limit. Tazewell Police Chief Jeremy Myers said this comes as they are seeing an increase in people going through their town. He added that distracted driving is a leading cause of crashes in the region.
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The campaign begins with a multijurisdictional DUI checkpoint on Friday, May 22, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in Tazewell. Increased traffic enforcement will continue from May 22 to May 24 along the entire route of State Highway 25E and Hwy 33, which runs from the Tennessee/Kentucky state line to Knoxville…