KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Thanksgiving week is one of America's busiest travel times -- and Tennessee Highway Patrol responds with the seventh annual "I-40 Challenge."
THP said it will assign troopers every 20 miles on I-40 for 12-hour shifts on the busiest travel days of the weekend: Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
I-40 runs 2,555 miles through eight states. In Tennessee, I-40 runs for 455 miles. THP said Thanksgiving often means dozens of crashes on the interstate.
In 2018, THP said there were 46 I-40 crashes on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and 55 crashes on the Sunday after Thanksgiving holiday. One crash was alcohol-related.
During the 120-hour holiday period, THP also issued 1,559 seat belt/child restraint device citations and arrested 111 people for impaired driving statewide.
THP will also continue state-wide enforcement on all Tennessee roadways during the holiday season.
THP advised people who need help while traveling to dial *847, which connects callers to THP dispatchers.