State, Local Police Begin Crackdowns

The number of fatal crashes in McMinn County increased dramatically during the last year, so police are getting tougher on drunk drivers, speeders and people who don't buckle up.

They are setting up several checkpoints to make sure people on McMinn County roads are driving safely.

It's a joint effort with the Governor's Highway Safety Office, the McMinn County Sheriff's Office and officers from Athens, Calhoun, Etowah and Benton.

Officers are making sure the people crossing the bridge between McMinn and Bradley counties on Highway 11 are buckled up, sober and in cars that are safe.

The goal is to prevent crashes like this one back on Valentine's Day last year. Two teenagers who police say were drunk were killed when the speeding car they were in left the roadway and slammed into a tree.

It turned out that 2007 saw many crashes liek this one.

Clint Shrum of the Governor's Highway Safety Office said "going from 13 in 2006 to 20 in 2007. We looked at the data with the sheriff's department and felt like we need to be proactive instead of reactive."

This checkpoint is just one of four that will be conducted in different areas of McMinn County Friday night.

Besides checking for seatbelt use, officers are focusing on two factors that appear in most fatal crashes.

"Alcohol and speed are main factors we look at. Over the past 12 years, 61% of these fatalities in Mcminn County have been alcohol and speed related," Shrum said.

During this operation many drivers checked to make sure their seatbelts are on. That's good, because in 75% of the fatal crashes in McMinn County, the victims were not buckled up.

Police say they won't nab that many D.U.I. offenders in their checkpoints, and they say that's not the goal. The goal is to change behaviors.

"If somebody sees or hears about one of the checkpoints and they usually drink and drive, they're more likely to stay at home. And that's what we're trying to do. We don't want them on the road impaired and that's what we're trying to do, is keep people home," Shrum said.

Other checkpoints will be set up in and around the other cities in McMinn County Friday night.