Summertime is a time for vacations, sunny days off and simply being outdoors. Generally, more people are on the roadways in Tennessee and all across the country during the warmer months, and some of them might have had a few drinks before getting behind the wheel. Anyone planning to drive after drinking should know that police are on the lookout for those driving under the influence this summer.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol recently announced that its annual "100 Days of Heat" campaign has begun. During the campaign, more officers will be on the roads in an attempt to prevent unnecessary fatalities. The state's law enforcement agency partners with those from two other states.
Over the five years that the campaign has run, the THP says that approximately 220 lives per year have been saved. Supposedly, troopers are not only going to be looking for drivers they believe are impaired, but also for vehicle occupants that are not buckled up. A THP spokesperson said that the more drunk drivers they keep off the roads, the fewer people die.
Even though this might be true, that does not mean that everyone arrested for driving under the influence should be found guilty. Before any charges can be filed and cases go to court, police have to follow certain policies and procedures. First, officers require probable cause in order to stop a vehicle. Thereafter, officers might perform field sobriety tests and Breathalyzer and blood tests in order to determine whether a driver was intoxicated. If arrested, it is imperative that legal counsel be retained in order to ensure that the driver's rights are protected and to prepare a defense against any charges that might be filed.
Source: wcyb.com, "Tennessee Highway Safety Office kicks off '100 Days of Heat'", Daniel Coates, May 26, 2016