State and local law enforcement in five southern states are teaming up this week to crack down on unsafe driving. Traffic patrols will be out in force July 15-21 in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee as part of Operation Southern Shield. The week-long education and enforcement campaign is aimed at reducing traffic fatalities in the region.
It’s a collaborative effort among the five states and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Public safety and NHTSA officials kicked off the campaign Monday morning at a press conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“This marks the third year of this highly visible traffic enforcement effort,” said Region 4 NHTSA Administrator Carmen Hayes. “Officers are going to be especially vigilant regarding speed but also seat belt usage, impaired driving, and distracted driving violations.”
Officers are stepping up patrols with an aggressive saturation in areas with high crash rates.
“Certainly, no one wants to get a ticket, but the men and women in law enforcement in the state of Georgia is (sic) ready and willing to issue those citations if you don’t heed our warning.”
Last year, over 224 agencies in Georgia wrote more than 11,000 citations during Operation Southern Shield. Of those, 75% were for speeding. Nearly 30% were for seat belt violations and the rest were for distracted and impaired driving.
Hands-free laws will be enforced in Georgia and Tennessee
“In addition to that heavy speed enforcement we’re going to continue to target those who drive with their phones in their hand,” said Georgia State Patrol Public Information Officer Lt. Stephanie Stallings. Pointing out that it’s been one year since Georgia’s hands-free law went into effect, Stallings said, “We’re definitely going to be on the lookout (for violators) as it’s just as important today as it was July the first last year.”
Tennessee’s hands-free law went into effect July 1 of this year. Alabama has a hands-free law for teen drivers who’ve held an intermediate license for less than six months. Florida and South Carolina currently do not have hands-free laws on the books, according to information compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
All five states participating in Operation Southern Shield ban texting and driving.
While traffic laws may vary some from state to state, Stallings offers these common-sense safety tips:
- Be mindful of the posted speed limit and adhere to it.
- Make sure all occupants wear seatbelts.
- Make sure children 8 years of age and under are properly restrained in the appropriate child safety seat.
- Put your cellphone down and just pay attention to the roadway.
- Don’t drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. NEVER be an impaired driver.
A life-saving partnership
Tennessee Safety & Homeland Security Administrator Jeff Long called the interagency partnership “essential to saving lives.” He added, “We want to ask the public for your help and for your voluntary compliance with the law.”
In its first two years, the five states participating in Operation Southern Shield saw a decrease in traffic deaths, according to Georgia Office of Highway Safety Law Enforcement Services Director Roger Hayes.
“Our goal this week is not to write a lot of tickets in Georgia but to show that obeying the speed limit can make our roads safer and easier to drive,” he said. “Certainly, no one wants to get a ticket, but the men and women in law enforcement in the state of Georgia is (sic) ready and willing to issue those citations if you don’t heed our warning.”
