(Story courtesy of WVLT News)

Knoxville, TN (WVLT) The Knoxville Police Department has released their preliminary 2024 traffic report to WVLT. Scott Erland with KPD said it was a difficult year on the roads and a very busy year for their office.

“Knoxville drivers, they drive too fast without paying as much attention to the road as maybe they should have,” Erland said.

Preliminary numbers show there were 45 deadly crashes on Knoxville roads in 2024, and in those 45 crashes, 52 people died.

“We had five multi-fatality incidents, crashes in 2024 which are incredibly difficult to see,” said Erland. “That included two triple-fatalities and three double-fatalities.”

He added there were 12 motorcycle and 11 pedestrian deaths in 2024, along with one bicyclist hit and killed.

“Some of the things that really stood out is you see a really high percentage of these crashes are happening on either the interstate or a really busy thoroughfare in the city,” he said.

According to the preliminary report, three primary causes were listed for roadway deaths in Knoxville: speeding, lack of seatbelt and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“Those appear to be the leading contributing factors to deadly crashes in 2024, and probably a secondary one to those three is just a general inattentiveness to what is happening on the road,” Erland said.

Erland said their goal for 2025 is to see fewer deaths on Knoxville roads.