Officials say less fatalities on I-26 from “Safer 26 in 24” initiative

A huge increase in citations and warnings to drivers on Johnson City’s 17-mile stretch of Interstate 26 yielded a decrease in crashes and fatalities during the “Safer 26 in 24” campaign, Johnson City Police and Tennessee Highway Patrol officials say. The number of fatalities decreased from four between Jan. 26, 2023 and January 25, 2024 to two during the same period of 2024-2025. The affected area runs between the Eastern Star Road Exit and the Okolona Exit. JCPD debuted the effort to promote safer driving behaviors a year ago on a section of interstate that sees about 70,000 drivers a day pass through.