Tennessee – On Tuesday, April 1, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), divisions of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, teamed up with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, local law enforcement, and other traffic safety partners for the annual “Operation Hands Free” campaign. The initiative, aimed at cracking down on violators of Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law, kicked off during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

The THSO organized press events in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, followed by distracted-driving enforcement bus tours in those cities. The enforcement efforts aim to raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving while also catching violators in the act.

“We take distracted driving very seriously when it comes to protecting Tennessee roadways,” said THSO Director Buddy Lewis. “Since 2017, the THSO has been partnering with agencies statewide to execute distracted-driving enforcement bus tours to raise awareness and catch texting drivers. Too many lives have been taken due to preventable crashes. We look forward to this annual campaign and hope to make a difference every year.”

During the bus tours, officers inside the buses observed traffic for distracted drivers and radioed patrol vehicles to take enforcement action when necessary. TDOT also played a key role by providing HELP trucks for traffic management and utilizing digital highway message boards to spread awareness about the campaign.

“We’re not just here to write tickets—we’re here to save lives,” said THP Colonel Matt Perry. “Our goal is to get drivers to think twice before picking up their phones or letting distractions take their focus off the road.

When drivers see increased enforcement like this, they’re more likely to put their phones down and pay attention, which is exactly what we want. If you notice dangerous behaviors like texting and driving, you can reach THP dispatch by dialing *THP (847) using your hands-free device, or have a passenger make the call.”

Under Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law (T.C.A. § 55-8-199), it is illegal for drivers to hold a cell phone or mobile device with any part of their body while operating a vehicle. The law aims to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving, which remains one of the leading causes of crashes in the state.

The “Operation Hands Free” campaign is just one of many steps the THSO, THP, and their partners are taking to ensure safer roadways in Tennessee.