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Super Bowl weekend traffic deaths down sharply

Preliminary 2011 Super Bowl weekend traffic fatalities have declined significantly from a year ago with four people killed on Tennessee roadways during the unofficial holiday period. Last year’s Super Bowl weekend resulted in 10 traffic fatalities in the state.

The 2011 54-hour Super Bowl period ran from 6 p.m., Friday, February 4 through midnight, Sunday, February 6. According to initial reports, there were four fatal crashes, including a pedestrian and a motorcyclist fatality. Three of the fatalities were alcohol-related and two vehicle occupants killed were not wearing a seat belt.

“If preliminary reports stand up, the decline in fatalities during this year’s Super Bowl is encouraging,” said Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott. “However, it’s disheartening to learn that three of the four fatalities were alcohol-related. We constantly educate and stress the consequences of drinking and driving. The fact that some people still don’t get it…is tragic.”

Over the weekend, State Troopers conducted more than 50 sobriety and driver license checkpoints across the state. Forty-five people were arrested for driving under the influence. Troopers issued more than 2,600 citations, including 901 for speeding and more than 250 for seat belt and child seat violations.

Overall, fatal crashes are down in Tennessee this year. To date, there have been 70 traffic fatalities, a decline of 27 from this time a year ago.

A preliminary holiday statistical report, including the locations of where the fatal crashes occurred over the 2011 Super Bowl holiday period, accompanies this release, as well as THP’s Super Bowl Enforcement Activity Report. Please note the official traffic fatality count may rise due to delays in reporting from municipalities and classification of traffic fatalities.

The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.

Published in Local News

Fans don't let fans drive drunk Super Bowl Sunday

Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Transportation Governor’s Highway Safety Office, Tennessee Titans and Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security are once again teaming up to remind Tennessee football fans that real Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk this Super Bowl weekend.

“If your Super Bowl game plan includes celebrating with alcohol make sure you have a sober, designated driver,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “Law enforcement officials will be working overtime to ensure that Tennessee’s roads are safe, so if you drink and drive this weekend, chances are you’ll be caught.”

Nearly 5,000 Titans fans promised to be the designated driver for friends and family during the 2010 season, making the Titans one of the top teams in the AFC South for designated driver pledges. Today, the Titans, TDOT’s GHSO and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security honored some of those designated drivers with an exclusive tour of LP Field.

“In addition to supporting the Titans this past football season, these fans made a very important commitment – one that saves lives,” said GHSO Director Kendell Poole. “By pledging to be a designated driver, they made sure their friends and family had a safe ride home from LP Field and did their part to keep Tennessee roads free of impaired drivers.”

This season, Titans fans joined more than 171,000 NFL fans in the Designated Driver program, which is a collaboration among all 32 NFL teams, 31 stadiums, concessionaires, beer distributors and brewers, broadcasters, law enforcement agencies, and traffic safety experts.

“We’re proud of our fans’ dedication to responsible behavior this season and we want all football fans to follow their leadership this weekend,” added Don MacLachlan, Titans Executive Vice President of Administration and Facilities. “Handing your keys to a sober driver or taking a cab will always make you a winner.”

“This Super Bowl Sunday, we want to see zero alcohol-related fatalities in Tennessee,” said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons. “Between the sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols, undercover officers and concerned citizens, if you choose to drive impaired this weekend, we plan to catch you.”

According to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Troopers arrested 32 people for driving under the influence during the 2010 Super Bowl weekend. Between Friday, February 5, 2010 and Sunday, February 7 at 11:59 p.m. there were 10 people killed on Tennessee roadways. Four of those deaths occurred in alcohol related crashes.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott reminded football fans that drinking and driving is not worth the risk. “Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, the cost of a DUI conviction is significant. Violators face jail time, loss of their driver license, higher insurance rates, hefty legal fees, and many other expenses.”

“We want everyone to make the right call for the Super Bowl by passing their keys to a sober driver,” added Poole. “If you’re hosting a party, make sure your celebration doesn’t end in tragedy. Designate a sober driver and have phone numbers for local taxi services on hand for those who’ve had too much to drink.”

For more information, please visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org or www.TeamCoalition.org.

Published in Local News

Movie Spots from Super Bowl XLIV

I was as excited about watching Super Bowl XLIV as any other non-Colts or non-Saints fan. After all, we had quite possibly the two greatest quarterbacks in the NFL going head-to-head while leading two of the most explosive offenses. If nothing else, the game was going to be fun to watch, and it was. But, let's face it, if your favorite team isn't playing, the Super Bowl does seem to lose a bit of its magic. Sure, I still love watching football but, with no emotional attachment to either the Colts or the Saints, the outcome of the game becomes a moot point for me. Now, next year when my Philadelphia Eagles are winning Super Bow XLV, that'll be a different story.

As for this year, though, I was looking forward to the commercials as much as the actual game. More specifically, being the movie geek that I am, I was anxious to see which films would be debuting new trailers. In all, there ended up being 9 different movie trailers during the Super Bowl, many of which had already been released online days earlier. There were also a few films that were expected to debut new trailers but ended up being conspicuously excluded.

So, what did we get? Well, we were treated to new trailers for Alice in Wonderland and Shutter Island, both of which were listed on "My Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2010". The Shutter Island preview seemed to just be a recut of the trailer that's been floating around for months. The Alice in Wonderland trailer, however, included some new shots and seemed even darker, if that's possible.

The new Robin Hood trailer might've been my biggest surprise simply because I haven't been looking forward to this movie at all. Admittedly, though, this trailer possibly convinced me that I've been underestimating this film all along.

The new trailer for The Wolfman remake was obviously there to give the movie one last push before it hits theaters this weekend. I already thought this film had potential to be a good one and, after seeing this new trailer, I'm now convinced of it.

Others receiving coveted Super Bowl spots were Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender, Brooklyn's Finest, The Back-Up Plan and the remake of George A. Romero's The Crazies. Strangely enough, the Brooklyn's Finest trailer was already being shown on television prior to the Super Bowl.

Noticeably absent from this list are both Toy Story 3 and Iron Man 2. I would've bet money that these two were a lock for Super Bowl spots this year. Unfortunately, I would've lost that bet.

Since we're all about helping here at HobNobWilson.com, I've conveniently included every trailer that was featured during Super Bowl XLIV. Enjoy and leave us your thoughts.

The Last Airbender