MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A new initiative of having extra patrol presence during holidays is being credited for helping reduce traffic fatalities in Shelby County.
Since it's first meeting in February, the Shelby County Traffic Task Force has made its presence known, with extra patrols on Good Friday, sobriety checks on St. Patrick's Day, and a Distracted Driving Bus Tour in April.
So far the state of Tennessee claims this has been working, with 30% less fatalities than last year, at the same time. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol dashboard, there have been 76 fatalities so far in 2024, compared to 108 in 2023 and 88 in 2022.
"I really think focusing on traffic adds to that reduction in crime," said Assistant Chief Don Crowe, Memphis Police Department. "It's that's overall sense of not following traffic laws, not following laws at all, and that they can drive how they want, and that has to change at home, that has to change at the church."
Overall crashes were also down according to the dashboard. In Shelby County there have been 262 crashes in 2024, compared to the high 348 in 2023, and 323 in 2022.