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By Robert Sorrell

Star Correspondent

As summer approaches and more drivers take to the roads, law enforcement officials are warning Carter County residents about the dangers of distracted driving, driving under the influence and speeding.

On Tuesday, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), as well as area law enforcement agencies, launched the “100 Days of Summer Heat” campaign — a coordinated effort to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities across East Tennessee during the summer travel season.

Carter County will be a key focus in the months ahead, officials said during a press event in Johnson City. Enforcement efforts in the area will include sobriety checkpoints, DUI patrols and crackdowns on speeding and distracted driving.

The county has seen an increase in fatalities, according to THP Captain Kevin Kimbrough. As of Tuesday, an additional five fatalities have been reported compared to the same time last year.

“That’s five families who won’t get to see their loved ones come home,” Kimbrough said.

Kimbrough said Carter County is among several East Tennessee counties that will receive targeted enforcement from THP’s Falcon Motor Unit, a specialized motorcycle patrol team. The Falcon Unit will work closely with the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and Elizabethton Police Department this summer.

“We’re committed to doing everything we can to bring those numbers down,” Kimbrough said.

Armando Fontes with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office said local law enforcement agencies are receiving grant funds to step up patrols and increase visibility in their communities.

Each summer, officials report an increase in crashes and fatalities, Fontes said.

Officials stressed the importance of community involvement, encouraging residents to speak up if they know someone who is driving recklessly, drinking and driving or failing to wear a seat belt.

So far, 360 people have died on Tennessee’s roads, a number THSO Director Clyde “Buddy” Lewis said he would like to see come down.

Motorcycle safety is also a major concern in the region. East Tennessee is responsible for a quarter of the state’s motorcycle fatalities so far in 2025.

Law enforcement agencies in Carter County are also continuing participation in regional traffic enforcement operations, including ongoing patrols along Interstate 26 and surrounding highways.