Tuesday, July 2, 2013 9:28 am

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and the Tennessee Highway Patrol today announced plans for an impaired driving enforcement campaign for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

This traffic safety effort will feature an aggressive “No Refusal” enforcement, beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3 and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 7. 

Twenty-one people died in 17 crashes on Tennessee roadways during the 2012 Fourth of July holiday period. That’s a fatality rate of one death every six hours.  Of the twenty-one people killed last year, 10 (47.6%) were alcohol related. Seven of the 18 (38.9%) vehicle occupants killed were not wearing safety restraints. Three motorcyclists also died during last year’s July 4th holiday period.

“We are proud to again partner with various local law enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges across the state in a “No Refusal” enforcement cam-paign during the Fourth of July holiday period. Drunk driving is a threat to public safety, and this specialized enforcement gives us another tool to combat impaired driving and reduce fatal crashes in Tennessee,” Commissioner Bill Gibbons said.

“No Refusal” permits law enforcement officials to seek search warrants for blood samples.