Law enforcement agencies focus on speeding during ‘Slow Down Tennessee’ campaign

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office on Friday will join public safety partners statewide to launch Slow Down Tennessee.

From April 14-28, participating agencies will focus on increasing awareness and enforcement to reduce speeding-related crashes, injuries, and fatalities across Tennessee. Students and citizens can participate by requesting Slow Down Tennessee yard signs from the THSO for display in local areas.

According to Tennessee’s Integrated Traffic Analysis Network or TITAN, from 2018 to 2022 there were 36,870 speed-related crashes statewide.

Hardin County had the 12th highest fatal crash rank among the 95 Tennessee counties.

According to Savannah Police Chief Michael Pitts, there were 376 crashes in the city in 2022, with vehicle speed identified as a causal factor in many. “We hope to reduce the number of crashes on our roadways so that everyone who lives, works or visits Savannah can do so safely,” he said.

“The ‘Slow Down Tennessee’ campaign is a collaboration that includes public citizens,” said THSO Director Buddy Lewis. “Our goal is to help reduce speeding and dangerous driving behaviors by providing yard signs for Tennesseans. Citizens are very aware of the problem areas in their communities. We want to help by supplying resources to further share our message statewide.”

This year, AAA – The Auto Club Group funded a $5,000 sponsorship to the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police to create Slow Down Tennessee yard signs for the public. These signs are available for display outside local schools and throughout local neighborhoods. Slow Down Tennessee yard signs can be requested by emailing info@tntrafficsafety.org. Yard signs will be distributed on a first come, first served basis until the supply runs out.

“Speeding endangers not only the life of the driver, but all people on the road around them – including other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, road workers, and law enforcement officers,” said Franklin Police Chief Deborah Faulkner, president of the Tennessee police chiefs association.

“Our officers encounter far too many victims of tragic and often fatal traffic crashes caused by driving too fast, including drivers who obey the speed limits but disregard road conditions such as bad weather, construction zones, or darkness. If these signs encourage even one person to slow down or drive less aggressively, it could prevent the loss of another life on our roadways,” she said.