The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) in Tennessee has teamed up with an array of law enforcement agencies from Georgia and Tennessee to launch the 9th Annual Operation Southern Slow Down, focusing on combating the ever-persistent issue of speeding from Monday through Saturday. According to the sheriff’s office, the effort unites officers from South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida in a push to lower the high-speed car crashes that have plagued southern roadways.
This year’s press conference highlighted the critical nature of the campaign, with Sheriff Austin Garrett and officials from both the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Tennessee Highway Safety Office citing data that faster speeds unequivocally lead to more accidents, thus redoubling their resolve to safeguard roads against the dangers of excessive speed; Tennessee Highway Patrol and Georgia State Patrol emphasized the significance of coordinated enforcement during this targeted stretch. “The HCSO is committed to public safety which includes a focus on removing dangerous and distracted drivers from our roadways to protect the safety of the citizens we serve,” Sheriff Austin Garrett articulated during the event, also stating, “We prefer to accomplish this mission through educational initiatives such as the annual Operation Southern Slow Down Campaign. However, I want to be clear, if we can’t reach you through education, you can rest assured we will reach you through enforcement.”
Increased presence of traffic enforcement officers will be one of the many strategies deployed to press the campaign’s objectives home. The officials have called upon the community to play an integral part in this safety initiative, urging drivers to adhere to speed limits and drive with caution to ensure not just their well-being, but also that of their fellow commuters…