Distracted driving is a dangerous epidemic on America’s roadways. This risky activity can divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving, while endangering the safety of the driver, passengers, and bystanders.
In 2012, there were 3,328 people killed and 421,000 injured nationwide in crashes involving distracted driving. In 2013, there were 18,761 traffic crashes including 54 fatalities as a result of distracted driving in Tennessee.
Text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, and is by far the most alarming distraction. Tennessee has a primary texting law that is enforced by the Tennessee Highway Patrol and state-wide law enforcement.
According to Sergeant Bill Miller, Public Information Officer, troopers are looking for any unsafe action that takes away from the responsible and proper operation of a motor vehicle. Troopers patrol daily in the familiar black and cream patrol cars, as well as on police motorcycles. The THP also utilizes unmarked patrol vehicles to detect reckless behavior.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Office urges drivers to make safe choices when driving on Tennessee roadways. Take a moment to pull over if you need to make a call, or send a text. Consider asking your passenger to make the call or text for you. In Tennessee, texting while driving is against the law and considered unsafe. Any situation that causes a driver to become distracted can be extremely dangerous to the driver and fellow Tennesseans. Our goal is to make sure you and your loved ones ARRIVE at their destinations safely.
For more information about distracted driving, please contact Megan Buell, 615-337-7685 or visit our website at www.tntrafficsafety.org.

People reported seeing a strange sight on Wednesday at 2 area restaurants. Those people said armed officers were outside the establishments.
According to Alcohol Beverage Commission’s Heath Luttrell told the Tullahoma News that officers entered the Casa Mexicana in Shelbyville and the Casa Mexico in Tullahoma checking various records including employment records.
While no arrest were made Wednesday at the Tullahoma business, the Shelbyville restaurant saw several charges lodged. There were 15 felony arrest and seven misdemeanor arrest made.
The Shelbyville restaurant also was issued a citation by agents for failing to be responsible for law and order on licensed premises.
A spokesperson would not comment on whether or not federal charges would be filed.
In addition to the ABC agents also taking part was the federal Department of Homeland Security Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the THP Criminal Investigative Division and the Shelbyville Police Department.

A pickup truck crossed Interstate 24 from eastbound to the westbound lanes and collided with a charter bus Thursday morning just inside Rutherford County.
The crash occurred just before 10 a.m. at mile marker 95 about 2 miles outside Coffee County.
Authorities believe the driver of the pickup truck suffered a medical emergency, causing him to lose control. He was taken via Life Flight to Vanderbilt Medical Center.
The bus from Illinois suffered significant damage.
Westbound I-24 was closed while crews cleared the scene.

Tullahoma Utilities board (TUB) has been presented the 2014 Tree Line USA award by the Arbor Day Foundation for the third consecutive year.
TUB was awarded the honor thanks to its employees’ commitment to proper tree pruning, planting, and care within the service area.
Tree Line USA is a partnership between the Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, which recognizes public and private utilities for pursuing practices that protect and enhance America’s urban trees.
TUB achieved the 2014 Tree Line USA status by meeting five program standards: Utilities must follow industry standards for quality tree care; provide annual worker training in best tree-care practices; sponsor a tree-planting and public education program; maintain a tree-based energy conservation program; and participate in an Arbor Day celebration.
Besides pruning, an example of tree-care that TUB participates in annually is the planting and dedication of tree memorials of past TUB employees and board members. As recently as November, TUB planted two memorial trees at the Lions Club Park here in town.
Besides beautifying the city, tree-care and planting cleanses and purifies the air and water, adds quality of life to wildlife, and increases property value.
Monty Hawkins is TUB’s Lineman Forester and coordinates tree pruning across the city. For more questions on TUB’s tree-care practices, call Monty directly at 571-7109.

Pressure continues to mount across Tennessee for Gov. Bill Haslam to follow through on his proposal to raise teacher salaries in the state. Last fall, Haslam said he wanted to boost teacher pay, and his initial budget included a small hike across the board. Now, however, the governor has withdrawn that plan, drawing fire from Gera Summerford, a Sevier County math teacher and president of the Tennessee Eduction Association. “The governor made a public announcement several months ago that his intent was to make Tennessee’s salaries for teachers the fastest-growing in the nation – and then this budget does not include that,” she said. “We anticipated a 2 percent increase and it’s not there.” Haslam said he still thinks it’s important to invest in education, but the state must close a $160 million budget gap. A big part of that shortfall is from sales and business tax collections that were below expectations, and Summerford said that drop in state revenue must be closely examined. “I think that this drop in the corporate taxes is something that needs to be investigated,” she said. “We’re certainly looking for some answers to questions we have raised, because if the governor says it’s where all the drop has come from, then that’s something we need to look more closely at.” Haslam also is abandoning his plans for a small wage hike for state workers and funding increases for the state’s colleges and universities. Tennessee ranks among the bottom five in the nation for investments in public education. More from TEA is online at TEAteachers.org. Information on education funding per state is at nea.org.

Chiquita Correll Wright a woman from Georgia was arrested this week in Coffee County by the Tennessee Highway Patrol in connection with identity theft.
Wright, 27, of Decatur, Ga. was allegedly a passenger in a car that was stopped by a trooper for a traffic violation on I-24 at mile marker 109. The trooper alleges that Wright identified herself as someone other than who she is as well as a fake birth date.
While searching the vehicle, he found IRS checks belonging to other individuals, as well as a number of credit cards and driver’s license belonging to someone else.
According to warrants, the trooper also found a check and tax information belonging to others and he also found nine Oxycodone pills.
The woman was charged with identity theft, criminal simulation, criminal impersonation and possession of a schedule II drug by Trooper Jason Boles.
Wright was booked into the Coffee County Jail under a bond of $135,000.

In the past seven days, the average price for a gallon of gasoline rose 5 cents in both Georgia and Tennessee. The most expensive prices in the southeast are found in Florida, where the average price is $3.63, 8 cents higher than the national average and 7 cents higher than last week.
In Coffee County gas prices remain about the same as last week. In Manchester to low price now stands at $3.22 per gallon and in Tullahoma the low price is $3.19.
AAA says, Oil prices are expected to continue trending upward this week which could mean more pennies per gallon at the pump.
Tennessee’s average price is $3.36 per gallon.