Drivers in the University of Tennessee area should prepare for a sobriety checkpoint later this month. The Knoxville Police Department, together with the University of Tennessee Police Department, announced plans to screen vehicles on Volunteer Boulevard on Thursday, August 28. The focus is on promoting road safety by catching potentially impaired drivers before they can cause harm.
According to a statement on the Knoxville Police Department's website, the checkpoint aims to "deter impaired driving, prevent serious or fatal crashes, and increase public awareness of the consequences of driving while under the influence." This initiative comes in light of the sobering statistic that alcohol or drug impairment possibly contributed to at least 10 fatal crashes in Knoxville in 2024.
The previous sobriety checkpoint operation by KPD, hosted on June 20, led to the scrutiny of over 700 drivers on Kingston Pike, indicating the department's continuous efforts to clamp down on intoxicated driving. In a bid to reduce road mishaps, KPD and UTPD are underlining the importance of responsible driving. They remind motorists to "slow down, buckle up, reduce distractions, pay attention to the road, and never drive while under the influence."
