Decrease in Traffic Fatalities in Tennessee

Jan 14, 2016 at 07:53 am by bryan


The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security said in a news release that the number of traffic fatalities in 2015 is the third lowest annual figure in Tennessee since 1963.

Traffic fatality numbers are reported by all Tennessee law enforcement agencies to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

ADVERTISEMENT

Preliminary figures indicate there were 965 vehicular deaths on Tennessee roadways in 2015.

In 1963, there were 941 deaths. The 2015 fatality number includes 112 pedestrians and 10 bicyclists.

From 1964 to 2010, Tennessee averaged 1,234 deaths on roadways.

Over the 46 year period, 1973 was the most tragic year, with a total of 1,444 traffic deaths.

From 2011 to 2015, the five-year annual traffic fatality average has been 971, with those five years making up five of the six lowest years since 1963.

Preliminary national figures indicate an increase of about 15% in 2015 compared to 2014.

THP Colonel Tracy Trott said state troopers' commitment to enforcing DUI, seat belt, and distracted driving traffic laws is producing results. State troopers arrested 7,805 individuals on suspicion of DUI in 2015 and cited 114,047 individuals for not wearing their seat belts. There was a 20.9 percent drop in alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 2015 in Tennessee and a 3 percent drop in the percent of fatalities involving unrestrained motorists compared to 2014.

Sections: News