Marshall County Sheriff Kevin Byars says last weekend’s 400 Mile Yard Sale caused an uptick in traffic accidents in his jurisdiction.
He says people reported six accidents in the county during the annual four-day event that follows U.S. 68. Byars says every year the yard sale results in several traffic accidents, but this year was worse possibly because good weather brought out more bargain hunters.
“Basically people driving slow, not paying attention, stopping in the middle of the road and people rear ending them and things such as that or pulling out and not having cars parked on the side of the road and not seeing a vehicle coming, that kind of thing,” he says.
On top of the larger crowd, Byars wasn’t able to make any extra preparations for the event.
“I’m so short staffed. I don’t have any extra help to do that,” he says of making early preparations. “We just make our guys aware that it’s going to be heavy this weekend. Just kind of watch what’s going on if you see anybody parked actually in the roadway we have to get them off if we’re on our actual patrols and whatnot.”
Murray and Hazel were just officially added to the route this year. But, unlike Marshall County, Calloway County Sheriff Bill Marcum says officers didn’t see any traffic accidents during the yard sale.
