The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:26 PM

Sevierville Police Department Partnerning With THSO For Increased Impaired Driving Enforcement December 13-31 For Holidays

The Sevierville Police Department is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to increase impaired-driving enforcement from December 13 - 31, surrounding the holiday season. The THSO’s statewide Booze It and Lose It campaign is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over nationwide mobilization.

SPD officers will be concentrating on DUI enforcement and conduct enhanced patrols during this period.

“The holiday season is a special time of the year for family and friends to gather in celebration,” said SPD Chief Don Myers. “A DUI arrest or worse, a serious crash, will negatively impact your life and those around you forever.”

Increased state and national messaging about the dangers of drunk driving, coupled with increased sobriety checkpoints and high visibility enforcement, aim to drastically reduce the number of drunk-driving crashes, injuries, and fatalities this year.

“We ask all Tennesseans to please drive safely this holiday season,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “In December 2016, more than 500 traffic crashes statewide involved a drunk driver. Our state and local law enforcement partners will be out in full force to secure Tennessee roadways. We want everyone to make it home safely, so please designate a sober driver.”

The consequences of a single DUI conviction for a first-time offender in the state of Tennessee may include costly fines, court costs, legal fees, jail time, mandatory drug and alcohol treatment, and/or the installation of an ignition interlock device in his/her vehicle.

The THSO provides grant funding to support SPD’s increased enforcement efforts during the Booze It and Lose It holiday campaign. For more information about the THSO, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.