Speeders in Georgia and four others states targeted in Operation Southern Shield

If you’ve got the pedal to the metal, you better slow down.

Georgia state troopers are once again joining law enforcement officers from four other southern states in a seven-day crackdown on speeders starting Monday.

Georgia joins Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina in targeting speeders on interstates, major highways and roads through Operation Southern Shield.

“Our troopers are dedicated to participating in collaborative enforcement efforts like Operation Southern Shield, that encourages motorists to drive safely and slow down,” Col. Mark W. McDonough, Georgia’s Department of Public Safety commissioner, said in a news release. “Our main focus this week is reducing crashes and providing a safer transportation experience for motorists traveling in our state.”

Speeding killed more than 10,000 people in the United States in 2016 and was a factor in 27 percent of fatal crashes in the nation, according to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Also, speed was a factor in 31 percent of fatal crashes in the U.S. from 2005-2014, a recent study from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows.

The way the enforcement campaign works is different travel routes are expected to be targeted on specific days, such as Interstate 75 from the Kentucky-Tennessee border through Georgia and down into Florida.

Last year’s campaign was called a success by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety after traffic fatalities were down for the week of the campaign compared with two weeks earlier.

Additionally, Georgia’s new hands-free driving law went into effect July 1. The law bans drivers from holding a cellphone by hand or using any part of their body to support it.

This story was originally published July 14, 2018 at 12:43 PM.