NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — From noon on July 3 through midnight on July 6, state and local law enforcement plan to ramp up their presence on Highway 70 as part of a safety operation during Independence Day weekend.

Tennessee Highway Patrol officials said the purpose of the "Safe on Seventy" operation is to combat impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, speeding and other high risk driving behaviors.

“We're all working together through the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to have [Hwy] 70 safe. That's what we're trying to get: people to not drink and drive. The Fourth of July holiday — have fun, but be responsible,” Dickson County Sheriff Tim Eads told News 2.

According to THP data, there have been more than 28,000 crashes on Highway 70 since 2020, and more than 200 people have died in those crashes.

“Raising awareness with the public and getting people to take responsibility for their actions on their own is what's going to make those distracted driving crashes come down,” THP Major Roy Brown said.

The safety operation comes as some Tennessee law enforcement agencies signed agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but Major Brown indicated ICE won't be involved in the operation starting this Thursday.

"There's no correlation between the campaign that we're doing this weekend and anything to do with ICE,” Major Brown explained. "If you're doing the right thing, there's no reason to be concerned about a checkpoint. There's no reason to be concerned about the increased enforcement operations that we have going on this weekend. Drive the speed limit; don't drive distracted. Don't drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and there should be no issues."

THP data shows crashes on Hwy 70 are down 13% since 2021, but with more travelers expected for the holiday weekend, officials said they want to raise awareness and enforcement to keep people safe.

“If people will take personal responsibility for their actions, if they'll do the right thing, be safe, think about what they're doing, we can all have a safe and happy holiday weekend,” Major Brown added.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/thp-law-enforcement-ramping-up-patrols-checkpoints-for-independence-day-weekend/