BLUFF CITY, Tenn. — With NASCAR in town, driver Ross Chastain and the Tennessee Highway Safety Office shared safety advice and had a little fun with students at Sullivan East High School on Friday.
A.J. Lane, a student at Sullivan East High School, attempts to drive through the cones with the “drunk goggles” on to see the harmful effects of driving under the influence during the traffic safety event Friday morning.
“We’re trying to reach just one of these students,” Chastain said. “Decisions about getting on the highway, getting on the road, they have real implications when they make their own decisions.”
NASCAR driver Ross Chastain, left, talks with Tennessee Highway Safety Office’s director Buddy Lewis by Chastain’s show car Friday morning at Sullivan East High School.
Since 2015, Chastain has been traveling with the THSO to schools to share safe driving habits when on highways.
NASCAR driver Ross Chastain signs autographs for students and staff at traffic safety evening with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office at Sullivan East High School.
Chastain signed autographs, offered photos with his show car and discussed the dangers of drunk driving with students.
In addition, 2024 Florida Watermelon Queen Elanie Nicole Mason from Orlanda, Florida, handed out free watermelon slices to participants.
The THSO showcased its seat belt convincer, a device allowing attendees to feel the impact of wearing a seat belt during a crash. Traffic safety partners also offered vehicle displays, educational resources and hands-on activities to teach driver safety.
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“We do things in the (race) cars that make them safe,” Chastain said. “I’m able to climb out and get out and go home. I have nine seat belts in the race car and I have two in a street car. I have to make good decisions so I can go home safe.”
Ryan Hurley, a student at Sullivan East High School, is thrown forward when using THSO’s seat belt convincer during the traffic safety event on Friday morning.
Chastain said he believes the “Use Your Melon” event makes a difference. As the “beer guy,” Chastain said he wants people to have a good time, but make good decisions. Chastain drives the Busch Lite car.
The driver said he enjoys driving at Bristol Motor Speedway. Although he said Darlington Raceway is his favorite track, Bristol is right behind it.
London Bartleson, a student at Sullivan East High School, runs into cones in the driving course while wearing the “drunk goggles” during the traffic safety event Friday morning.
Chastain said it is good to see The Last Great Colosseum, walk through the tunnel and “see what they’ve built.”
“I don’t really know how to describe Bristol,” Chastain said. “It’s almost indescribable how fast and how challenging it is to drive.”
Friday morning’s event was held near the historic Hicks School on the Sullivan East campus off Weaver Pike. Representatives from Ballad Health, Kubota Tech Program, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Tennessee Driver Services, Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Trucking Foundation were present at Sullivan East.
According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), there were 6,159 traffic crashes statewide involving a drunk driver in 2023. Nearly 45 percent of drunk drivers were ages 20 – 34.
