MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) said that its speed enforcement campaign Operation Southern Slow Down will be on the lookout for speeders from July 18 to 24.
State troopers and law enforcement officers will have a heavy presence on state highways and interstates, stopping speeders traveling over legal speed limits, THSO said.
Director of the Tennessee Office of Highway Safety Buddy Lewis said people who speed are three times more likely to suffer injuries or die from car crashes.
"Speeding increases the risk of losing control of your vehicle and threatens the safety of everyone around you. All we ask is for voluntary compliance to ensure everyone can make it home safely," Lewis said.
According to THSO, there has been an increase in speeders who travel well over 100 mph in the last two years.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also reported that deaths caused by speeding and overall traffic fatalities have also drastically increased, with speeding being the cause of 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2020.
THSO said it wants to remind drivers that it takes a vehicle longer to stop when traveling at faster speeds, quadrupling stopping distances each time the driving speed is doubled.
The office said drivers should drive defensively, allowing speeders to pass, giving them plenty of space and distance. It also said drivers should remember to wear a seatbelt.
In addition to Tennessee, Operation Southern Slow Down will track speeders in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and south Carolina.