Drivers be aware of Operation Southern Slow Down

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Drivers should be alert and slowing down this week. Operation Southern Slow Down has begun. It is an effort from law enforcement to reduce speeding across the southern states.

Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina are all participating.

Law enforcement will be hammering down on those reaching speeds well above the limits.

These efforts are meant to cut down on crashes, injuries and fatalities caused by speeding.

“We’re asking the drivers in this state, and in this region, to do one thing. Think about others when you drive. The very vehicle you’re driving could take your life or someone else’s life,” said Georgia State Patrol Lieutenant Maurice Raines.

Operation Southern Slow Down began July 17 and will last through Sunday, July 23.

Participants hope drivers will be more cautious on the roads with the additional enforcement.

A Tennessee Highway Patrol study from 2020 revealed that speeding crashes are four times more likely to be fatal than non-speeding crashes.