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The Giles County Sheriff’s Department Says Thumbs Down to Texting & Driving
The Giles County Sheriff’s Department will be partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to promote the fourth annual Thumbs Down to Texting and Driving campaign during the month of April. April is nationally recognized as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Agencies participate in the campaign by promoting safe driving habits and increasing awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Throughout April, the THSO will use #ThumbsDownTN to promote the campaign via social media.

Sheriff Kyle Helton said, “texting and driving is a significant factor in automobile crashes and causes much harm, heartache, and death not only to those involved but to their friends and families.” “Please put the phones down and pay attention to driving.”

In 2017, there were 24,781 traffic crashes statewide where distracted driving was a contributing factor, according to the Tennessee Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN). Of those crashes, 120 were fatal.

“Texting and driving is a serious issue,” said THSO Director Vic Donoho. “The slightest distraction could lead to a fatal crash. We caution all drivers to remain focused and alert at all times. The THSO and law enforcement partners are cracking down on distracted driving in our shared mission to Drive to Zero Fatalities across Tennessee.”

For more information, or to learn more about texting and driving, visit www.tntrafficsafety.org/distracteddriving.