The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), in partnership with the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), local law enforcement, and other traffic safety partners, launched “Operation Hands Free” on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, to enforce Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The campaign kicked off with press events in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville, followed by distracted-driving enforcement bus tours.

THSO Director Buddy Lewis highlighted the ongoing danger, noting that eight people died in distracted driving crashes in Tennessee last year to date, with six fatalities already recorded this year. The state sees thousands of such crashes annually, and the initiative aims to raise awareness and prevent future tragedies on roadways.

During the bus tours, troopers and officers observed traffic from inside the bus, radioed patrol vehicles to stop distracted drivers, and utilized TDOT’s HELP trucks for traffic management along with digital highway message boards reminding motorists that Tennessee is a hands-free state. THP Colonel Matt Perry emphasized zero tolerance for distracted driving, urging drivers to put their phones down or face consequences, and encouraged reporting unsafe behavior by dialing *THP (*847) hands-free.

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.