High school and college students are back in school, it means more teens and those just above their teen years are on the roads. New studies show how dangerous that can be. Wrecks are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds in the U.S.
The latest study from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association attributes distracted driving of all kinds — not just texting — to those statistics.
And with the Labor Day Weekend here, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is stepping up enforcement in a high-visibility campaign to help, among other things, combat distracted driving.
There’s a statewide texting ban in effect in Tennessee. But the THP is looking not just for those typing away on their devices, but for all kinds of distracted driving.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol knows the visual cues of distracted driving: frequent head nods, staring or gazing downwards, and swerving in and out of lanes. But it’s not just smartphones that are the problem and it doesn’t only involve teens. One state patrolman said he stopped a driving that was reading a book.
This Labor Day Weekend, the THP will have a trooper driving a semi-truck around a certain part of the state to get a good visual on distracted drivers. Another trooper in the passenger seat will radio a distracted driver’s license plate number and vehicle make/model to a nearby patrol car.
Some schools in Tennessee are also welcoming a Jeopardy-like game show into their schools called “ThinkFast Interactive.” The game combines the state’s teen driving safety rules with pop-culture and trivia to educate teens about safe driving.
We also remind you to buckle up as you travel.
THP Looking For Distracted Drivers
