Posts Tagged Tennessee Highway Patrol

THP set to combat distracted drivers with “Operation Incognito”

Drivers on the roads throughout Tennessee who are preparing for the Holiday Season need to be mindful as the Tennessee Highway Patrol initiates “Operation Incognito”. The campaign started on November 11 and plans to run through November 17.

The initiative’s goal is to combat distracted driving (texting while driving, etc.) on the roads of Tennessee. As THSO Director Vic Donoho states, “The primary focus of Operation Incognito is to reduce distracted driving, serious injury traffic crashes, and fatalities.”   Additionally, THSO Director Vic Donoho goes on to say that some secondary goals of “Operation Incognito” will be for the Tennessee Highway Patrol to saturate construction zones and attempt to increase driver’s awareness for utility maintenance zones.

The DUI defense lawyers at Oberman & Rice are always willing to help those who may receive any traffic citations during the Operation Incognito campaign and beyond. Traffic violations (if convicted) can add points to your driver’s license and cause your insurance premiums to skyrocket. Before you pay off a traffic citation and receive a conviction, it is important to discuss with a lawyer any potential penalties and consequences. Please review our website for more information or call us with questions at (865) 249-7200. Our lawyers are available 24/7.

 

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Staying Alive on I-75

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is participating in a six state effort to enforce traffic laws on Interstate 75 this weekend.

I-75 , which runs through Knoxville, stretches all the way from Miami to Canada.  According to WATE-TV News in Knoxville, all six states that share I-75 will be participating in a program entitled “Staying Alive on I-75” this weekend, March 28-30, 2014.  This is part of a nationwide effort to reduce traffic fatalities.  Motorists can expect to see an increase in the number of police officers, including members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, along the I-75 corridor.  Officers will be looking for distracted drivers, those breaking traffic rules, and anyone suspected of driving under the influence (DUI).

Among the six states participating are Tennessee, Kentucky, and Michigan.  College basketball fans know that for these states, all roads lead to Indianapolis this weekend.  Knoxville fans headed to Indy will be driving I-75 for much of the trip.  It is important to remember to obey all traffic laws and to never get behind the wheel if you have had too much to drink.

If you do find yourself in the situation of being accused of a DUI, you should immediately contact a Tennessee DUI attorney familiar with Tennessee DUI laws.  For more information about the crime of DUI or about your legal rights with respect to an allegation of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, the lawyers at Oberman & Rice are available by calling (865) 249-7200.  You may also wish to visit www.tndui.com for more information about the offense of driving under the influence in Tennessee.

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Fourth of July “No Refusal” Weekend in Tennessee

The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security have issued a media release dated July 1, 2013 that details plans for an impaired driving enforcement campaign for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend.  According to the release, in 2012, twenty-one people died in 17 crashes on Tennessee roadways during the Fourth of July holiday period.  In an effort to increase the safety and decrease the fatalities of motorists on the roads over the 2012 4th of July holiday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol plans to use aggressive “No Refusal” enforcement.

This “No Refusal” enforcement refers to the use of chemical tests (blood, breath, or urine) that determine the concentration of intoxicants in a person’s system.  These tests will be administered by troopers after a Tennessee DUI arrest to pinpoint the arrestee’s degree of intoxication.  Generally, Tennessee officers will offer an arrestee the ability to refuse to submit to these chemical tests.  However, if an arrestee does refuse to submit to a test, Tennessee law provides that the officer can obtain a search warrant to forcefully obtain the requisite sample.

During “No Refusal” enforcement periods, like this holiday weekend, the Tennessee Highway Patrol typically has a Tennessee judge (or judges) on call.  If an arrestee refuses to submit to a chemical test, and if the judge determines that the requisite legal grounds exist, a search warrant can be obtained that allows the officer to obtain a chemical test (most often a blood sample), even over the objection or refusal of the motorist placed under arrest.  Many of the sobriety checkpoints that are scheduled for this holiday weekend are “no refusal” sobriety checkpoints.

This increased enforcement is set to begin at 6pm on Wednesday, July 3, 2013 and to end at 11:59pm on Sunday, July 7, 2013.

More information about the Tennessee Implied Consent Law can be found by visiting our website or in the prior blog post, “Tennessee DUI No Refusal Weekends.” You may also contact our attorneys, Steve and Sara, by calling 865-249-7200. Even during this busy holiday season, the attorneys at Oberman & Rice are available to speak with you 24/7.

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Knoxville Area Sobriety Checkpoints Begin Tonight

A media release from the Tennessee Highway Patrol dated December 27, 2012 details the agency’s statewide plan for New Year’s Eve DUI enforcement.  In addition to the “no refusal” enforcement discussed in my last post, THP also plans to implement several checkpoints between now and New Year’s Day.  These include not only sobriety checkpoints (DUI roadblocks), but also “no refusal” sobriety checkpoints and driver’s license checkpoints.

Tennessee Highway Patrol regulations generally require that every driver passing through a checkpoint location be stopped and questioned.  Troopers will be investigating for signs of drug and alcohol impairment.  If they suspect that you are under the influence, you may be asked to exit your vehicle and perform certain roadside tasks, often referred to as field sobriety tests.  Information about the dates and locations of the planned DUI checkpoints in the Knoxville area are included below and have been taken from directly from the Tennessee Highway Patrol press release.  Information for additional DUI roadblocks across Tennessee can be downloaded by clicking here.

Should you be arrested for DUI or arrested or cited for another criminal offense or traffic violation, it is important that you consult with a Tennessee attorney as soon as possible.  Our attorneys,  Steve and Sara, will be available to speak with you and can be reached by calling 865-249-7200.

DIST. 1 KNOXVILLE — No Refusal New Year’s Eve Checkpoints

Friday, December 28:

Checkpoint               County                   Road/Highway                             Time of Day

SOBRIETY                    BLOUNT                 O. KNOX HWY @ I-140 RAMP       LATE NIGHT

 Monday, December 31:

Checkpoint             County            Road/Highway                               Time of Day

SOBRIETY *               SEVIER            GOOSE GAP @ SUGAR LOAF RD        LATE NIGHT

DL CHECKPOINT    CAMPBELL      STATE ROUTE 116 @                           LATE MORNING

LITTLE COVE RD

SOBRIETY                  ANDERSON     SR 62 @ KNOX/ANDERSON              LATE NIGHT

CO LINE

SOBRIETY                  LOUDON         US 70 @ CREEKWOOD BLVD             AFTERNOON

Tuesday, January 1:

Checkpoint     County              Road/Highway                                               Time of Day

SOBRIETY*        KNOX                 STATE ROUTE 162 @ STATE ROUTE 62              LATE NIGHT

SOBRIETY*        SEVIER              WINFIELD DUNN PKWY @ DOUGLAS DAM             LATE NIGHT

SOBRIETY*        SEVIER              STATE ROUTE 66 @ STATE ROUTE 139                LATE NIGHT

SOBRIETY*        SEVIER              US 411 @ CHEROKEE CR                                      LATE NIGHT

SOBRIETY*        BLOUNT            I-140 @ STATE ROUTE 33                                   LATE NIGHT

*No Refusal DUI Checkpoint

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Tennessee No Refusal DUI Enforcement

Several Knoxville media outlets are reporting increased Tennessee DUI enforcement for the upcoming holiday.  Please visit the following links for these stories: Troopers will enforce No Refusal campaign over New Year’s Eve holiday or Police step up DUI enforcement during New Year’s.

The increased enforcement is set to begin at 6 p.m. tonight and end at midnight on Tuesday (New Year’s Day).  We frequently receive questions about a person’s rights in relation to a blood or breath test following a Tennessee DUI arrest.  The Tennessee Highway Patrol plan to implement the “no refusal” law during this busy holiday period highlights one of the most common question we field–what does “no refusal” mean?

Often, following a DUI arrest, the Tennessee officer will offer an arrestee the ability to refuse to submit to a chemical test of the officer’s choice (blood, breath or urine).  Tennessee law, however, also provides that even if the arrestee refuses to submit to a chemical test, the office can obtain a search warrant to forcefully obtain the sample.  During these “no refusal” enforcement periods, the Tennessee Highway Patrol typically has a Tennessee judge (or judges) on call.  If the judge determines that the requisite legal grounds (based on the officer’s DUI investigation) exist, a search warrant can be obtained allowing the officer to obtain a chemical test (most often a blood sample), even over the objection (or refusal) of the motorist placed under arrest.

More information about the Tennessee Implied Consent Law can be found by visiting our website or in the prior blog post, “Tennessee DUI No Refusal Weekends.” You may also contact our attorneys, Steve and Sara, by calling 865-249-7200. Even during this busy holiday season, the attorneys at Oberman & Rice are available to speak with you 24/7.

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Increased Roadway Patrols for Holiday Season

For many, alcohol consumption is an integral part of holiday celebrations.  As a result, law enforcement often increases patrols and enforcement for impaired drivers.  In fact, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) has announced plans to “step up enforcement,” that includes “saturation patrols, bar and tavern checks, and driver license and sobriety checkpoints.”  Please click here for more information on the 2012 THP Holiday Enforcement efforts.

If your holiday celebration includes alcohol consumption, it is important to understand how your consumption may impair your ability to drive.  Oberman & Rice encourages you to celebrate safely and be certain to have a designated driver who is not drinking alcohol or taking any medications or drugs.  Be prepared with contact information for cab companies.  AAA even offers a unique “Tow to Go” program as a last resort for impaired drivers.  Subject to availability, a AAA tow truck will tow and you and your vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius at no cost.

It is also important that you know your rights, as well as Tennessee law relating to DUI.  For instance, under certain circumstances, you may be arrested for DUI while in a parked vehicle, even if you have not driven the vehicle.  Further, should you conclude that you are not too impaired to operate a vehicle, a law enforcement officer may reach a different conclusion.  Should you be suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicant, you may find yourself with questions relating to the Tennessee DUI laws, such as:

We would encourage you to visit our website at http://www.tndui.com/faqs.php for the detailed answers to these and many other frequently asked questions relating to a TN DUI traffic stop.  Feel free to also call Steve or Sara with any questions at 865-249-7200.

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