Updated 12/31/19

The state is closing out the year with more than 1100 roadway fatalities, the alarming statistic sets a new record for the decade.

Lieutenant Bill Miller of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said, “From all fatal crash reports that get sent into us, there is a significant rise inside the urban areas or the city areas of our state – that could be a small town …all the way up to a large city.”

He added, “2019 has been an extremely difficult year for the state of Tennessee as far as traffic fatalities. We are up 92 traffic deaths compared to this time last year.”

Miller said traffic fatalities have averaged at almost a hundred each month for 2019.

Miller said the agency continues to fight against distracted driving through unmarked cars, motorcyles and other methods.