NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Highway Patrol is ramping up its enforcement efforts for Halloween.
THP commander Col. Tracey Trott says troopers will conduct traffic enforcement saturations and checkpoints throughout the evening.
Seventeen people were killed in Halloween crashes last year, including seven that were alcohol-related. There have been 99 pedestrian fatalities this year in Tennessee, a 17 percent increase compared with the same period last year.
The THP is urging drivers to slow down and watch for children walking in roads; to be alert for kids darting out from behind parked vehicles and shrubs; and to avoid passing other cars that have stopped in the road for drop-offs.
The Highway Patrol is also calling on adults to accompany children while trick-or-treating and to carry a flashlight or wear reflective clothing.