MEMPHIS, Tenn. — More eyes will be on the road and on you this holiday weekend. Tennessee State Troopers are geared up for a crack down.
They are looking not just for speeders, but also for drunk drivers and even people who are not wearing seat belts.
“There are gonna be a lot of people out and about and a lot of officers out and about watching for those impaired drivers,” said Lt. Cary Hopkins with the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
This New Year’s weekend the Tennessee Highway Patrol will be teaming up with police and Sheriff’s deputies, armed with another tactic to stop drunk drivers in their track– the ‘No Refusal’ enforcement.
It gives officers more power once they pull you over, even if you refuse to take the blood alcohol test.
“If you stopped for DUI and the officer has probable cause and you refuse, a search warrant can be obtained to get that blood from you,” said Hopkins.
To give you an idea of how saturated Shelby County will be, THP said it is calling in extra officers. While they are usually patrolling the outskirts of the city, this weekend, they will be inside city limits, all over.
Drivers know the dangers and think the extra enforcement will help.
“Always helps. Just got to watch yourself, keep off the road and try not to do what you want to do,” one driver told WREG.
“Choose a designated driver, Uber, taxi cab, anything. We want everyone to have a good time, but don’t put other people at risk,” said Hopkins.
The DUI crackdown continues through midnight Sunday.
Last New Year’s holiday period, nine people were killed in traffic crashes on Tennessee roadways. Alcohol was involved in 3 of those deaths.