Knoxville Mayor Daniel Brown and Police Chief David Rausch announced traffic enforcement plans for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The holiday reporting period will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 27, 2011, and conclude at Midnight on Monday, May 30, 2011.

Chief Rausch said the specialized enforcement effort is designed to reduce the speed of motorists and remove drivers who are driving while impaired. Interstates I-275, I-75, and I-40 as well as the major arterial routes throughout Knoxville will see increased patrols during the 80-hour holiday time period.

Chief Rausch said, "The Memorial Day holiday is the official start of the summer driving season. Our goal is to make sure motorists and their passengers reach their destinations safely. To accomplish this goal, officers will focus on drivers who are speeding, driving recklessly, driving while unrestrained, or driving while impaired. There will be zero tolerance for motorists caught while driving under the influence."

During the 2010 Memorial Day holiday weekend, officers issued 1,238 driving related citations. Officers discovered 142 motorists driving on either a suspended or revoked license or they had no license at all. Officers issued 77 citations to motorists who were unrestrained or who were in violation of the child restraint law. Officers also investigated 64 crashes during this time including one fatal crash.

Chief Rausch said, "Our officers will continue with their mission to make the streets of Knoxville as safe as possible for residents and visitors traveling through our city."

"We do urge motorists to do their part by slowing down, buckling their seatbelt and by not driving while impaired," Chief Rausch concluded.