If you drive in the South, expect to see an increased police presence this week.
Police in five southern states are part of Operation Southern Slowdown, a campaign to crack down on drivers exceeding the speed limits. The operation began today, July 15 and continues through Saturday, July 20.
Participating in the enforcement and education effort are state and some local police agencies in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina. The goal is to reduce the number of crashes and deaths caused by speeding.
“Operation Southern Slow Down represents our collective vision towards creating a safer, fatality-free future on our roadways – one that goes beyond our engineering countermeasures and addresses the driver behaviors, like speeding, that place all road users at risk,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E.
Speeding is a significant factor in traffic fatalities across Florida, contributing to nearly 10% of these fatalities statewide between 2019 and 2023, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Demographic data reveals that young male drivers are particularly at risk, with 84% of speeding-involved fatalities involving male drivers, predominantly those aged 16-25. FDOYT said these statistics underscore the critical need for targeted enforcement and education campaigns like Operation Southern Slow Down to address dangerous driver behaviors like speeding and the tragic consequences they have on our roadways.
“As more motorists travel during the summer, this joint effort with our partners in the Southeast will serve as a strong reminder to obey the speed limit and other traffic safety laws,” said Kenneth Boswell, Director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. “We all want to arrive at our destinations safely, and we support our law enforcement officers as they work hard to prevent injuries and deaths from automobile crashes.”
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