“Slow down or expect to get a speeding ticket.”
That is the message from state and local law enforcement officers according to a press release from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).
The Operation Southern Slow Down program will be in effect next week from July 15-21, with this being its eighth year.
The states participating are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
“Every state in the Southeast United States is doing this speed event,” GOHS Law Enforcement Services Director Roger Hayes said. “We really need to be careful when we’re driving to Florida, whether we’re driving to Tennessee, South Carolina, or Alabama.”
According to the press release, the participating states will spend the week “conducting concentrated enforcement on interstates and major highways in their respective states.”
The program is run in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in their fourth region.
According to the 2023 GOHS report, last year’s iteration of the operation resulted in 9,983 speeding contacts.
The NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) says the number of vehicle occupants killed in speed-related crashes increased by 56% between 2018 and 2022.
“Our goal for the week…is to not have to write a single citation,” Hayes said. “Because that means everybody is voluntarily complying and driving at a safe speed.”
NHTSA offers the following safety reminders:
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Faster speeds require longer to stop a vehicle
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The stopping distance quadruples every time a driver doubles their speed.
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Allow more stopping time for bigger vehicles when traveling downhill on wet or uneven pavement
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Check the speedometer when approaching a curve. Apply the brakes before the curve.
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Remember, children will usually drive in the manner they see adults. Set a good example by driving at the speed limit.
Traveling on the same road with speeding drivers
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Give speeding drivers plenty of space
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If speeding drivers are following too closely, allow them to pass
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Stay out of the far-left lane unless it is passing another vehicle
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Always wear a seat belt
