Operation Hands Free Launches Statewide
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Chattanooga law enforcement continued statewide efforts Wednesday as part of Operation Hands Free, a campaign enforcing Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The campaign brings together the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and local police departments to monitor drivers and issue citations for violations.
Officers used a bus for a higher vantage point to spot drivers holding or using cellphones while troopers and police officers issued citations on the ground.
According to Captain Cecil Harvey of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, distracted driving remains a major concern across the state.
He said, “Last year Tennessee experienced more than 12,000 crashes caused by distracted driving. These crashes were entirely preventable. Distractions don’t just happen on major highways; one and five crashes happen on our local streets. Even more concerning is half of the involved drivers were under the age of 35 years old.”
Sheriff Austin Garrett of Hamilton County emphasized safe driving practices. He said, “When this rings pull over to the side of the road, use hands-free. No phone call or text is worth a life. To the parents, be the example. Your children are watching you.”
Distracted driving is not only a risk to drivers but also contributes to fatal crashes statewide.
Chattanooga Police Chief John Chambers highlighted the impact on local families: “24, 24 families, 24 members of our community lost their lives last year due to a traffic fatality.”
The Tennessee Hands-Free Law, in effect since 2019, prohibits drivers from holding a cellphone or mobile device with any part of their body while operating a vehicle.
Officers stressed that using hands-free technology or pulling over before making calls or texts is the safest choice.
Sheriff Garrett also said, “As your Sheriff, I’d much rather see you with a designated driver or in the backseat of an Uber or a Lyft than in the backseat of one of my patrol vehicles.”
Operation Hands Free continues throughout April, with coordinated enforcement across multiple Tennessee cities.
The goal is to reduce distracted-driving crashes, educate drivers, and save lives on the road.
