The Governor’s Highway Safety Office along with Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement are launching a brand new safety initiative called Combined Message Enforcement for Tennessee or “CoMet.”

Governor’s Highway Safety Office liaison Clint Shrum advised this initiative is much different than its predecessors “Click It or Ticket” or “Booze It & Lose It.” CoMet is designed to focus on all aspects of traffic safety including speeding and aggressive driving, impaired driving, distracted driving and unbelted drivers. Shrum said, “For several years law enforcement has focused on one traffic safety issue at a time. As driving trends change it is paramount that law enforcement change their efforts to ensure everyone is safe. Twenty years ago distracted driving was unheard but today it is one of the leading causes of crashes in the United States along with speeding and impaired driving.”

Whether you live in Tennessee or are just passing through, drivers beware. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is teaming up with law enforcement agencies across the state between now and the busy Thanksgiving travel weekend to crack down on traffic safety violations.

Stopping and arresting alcohol and drug impaired drivers will be a top priority of the campaign. In 2009, nearly one-third of those killed in crashes on our highways involved drivers or motorcycle operators with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or above at the time of the deadly crash. That is simply unacceptable. “Not only is driving under the influence of alcohol illegal but also driving under the influence of illicit and prescribed medication that impairs your ability is just as illegal and dangerous” explains Sheriff Jim Hammond. “Before driving be sure to know how your medication affects you. Look for red or yellow warning labels on the side that may say “May Cause Drowsiness” or “Do Not Operate Machinery.” Just because a doctor prescribes it does not mean that it will not impair you.”

Impaired driving is deadly and will not be tolerated. So be forewarned. If you drive impaired, you will be stopped and you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses.

Janice Atkinson

Public Information Officer