Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong announced that the Blount County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) is partnering with the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), and other East Tennessee law enforcement agencies, along with the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), to launch “Operation Hands Free.” The initiative aims to enforce Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law and reduce distracted driving during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

To mark the campaign’s start, the THSO held press events in Knoxville, Nashville, Memphis, and Chattanooga, followed by enforcement bus tours in those cities. The BCSO Traffic Safety Unit participated in the Knoxville event to highlight the dangers of distracted driving, and deputies will actively monitor compliance with the law on Blount County roads to help keep drivers and the public safe.

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. Violations can result in points on a driver’s record. More information is available at www.handsfreetn.com.