Bus Tour In Tennessee Cracks Down On Distracted Driving

Tennessee is taking a different kind of approach when it comes to cracking down on distracted driving. For the second year in a row, the Tennessee Highway Patrol partnered with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office and headed out on a statewide bus tour to focus on texting while driving. According to the THP and THSO, the distracted driving campaign was a success.

Bus tour in Tennessee focuses on distracted driving crackdown featured

From Monday, October 9, to Thursday, October 12, the THP and THSO combined forces and hopped on two large, black and tan buses and started cracking down on citizens that were distracted driving. The buses were marked with THP logos to transport law enforcement officers as they observed motorists for traffic violations.

As part of this distracted driving bus tour, 905 citations were issued statewide. Vic Donoho, Director of the THSO, said, “This campaign has grown tremendously due to increased support from local law enforcement and our traffic safety partners. Our mission is to change driver behavior through increased education and enforcement, but we can’t do this alone.”

That is the same feeling for THP Lt. Jimmy Neal. He said, “If you’re not paying attention to the road, you’re part of the problem. It doesn’t necessarily have to be just texting on your phone. We have a catch-all law called failure to use due care. If you’re driving and not exercising due care, that’s something you can be cited for.”

It looks like the crackdown was a success. Also, it looks like Tennessee is bringing in new distracted driving laws come 2018. Lt. Neal said, “Come January, you’re not going to be allowed to talk on your phone in school zones. If you’re inside those flashing lights, you can’t be on the phone.”

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[Photo by Herald-Citizen]