Tennessee law enforcement goes under cover to catch distracted drivers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — All over the state, multiple law enforcement agencies boarded city buses to track down distracted drivers.
News 2 tagged along with officials on a WeGo bus Monday, April 1, as they radioed in and pulled over dozens of distracted Nashville drivers.
This is the seventh year law enforcement agencies across the state have teamed up to raise awareness of the prevalence of distracted driving.
Harsher penalties for teens texting and driving now in effect in TN
Undercover in the WeGo bus, state troopers and Metro police officers spotted drivers on their phones and/or eating food. One by one, they were pulled over.
“Distraction is more than texting and cell phone use,” said Megan Cooper, AAA’s public relations and government affairs consultant. “Anything that pulls your focus off of the task of driving is a distraction, so that could be eating, drinking, talking to another passenger, or helping younger passengers in the back seat.”
In about an hour, dozens of drivers were pulled over.
“It is difficult to enforce. It is underreported and it is rampant,” said Tennessee Highway Safety Office Deputy Director Jason Ivey.
The penalty for distracted driving is a $50 fine.
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However, under Tennessee law, a teenage driver caught not paying attention to the road more than once will receive seven points on their driving record – enough to have their license suspended for six to 12 months.
Officials told News 2 that this operation goes beyond ticketing; it is about education.
In Tennessee, a crash involving a distracted driver happens every 27 minutes and 20 seconds, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. In Davidson County, 34 people died because of distracted driving since 2022, and nearly 300 more were seriously hurt.
“Each of these numbers represents a family that has been impacted forever,” said Sgt. Andrew Perez with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “The fight to end distracted driving starts with you. Starting today, make a commitment to drive hands-free.”
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