Williamson County authorities crack down on distracted driving with safety operation
'The goal is to educate and inform motorists [on] the dangers and hazards of distracted driving,' Greg Wilhelm, lieutenant in the Williamson County Sheriff's Office Traffic Unit, said.
RELATED | 'Operation Hands Free' kicks off across Tennessee
Multiple law enforcement agencies in Williamson County participated and used an unmarked bus to spot distracted drivers along Interstate 65. Wilhelm told News 2 that the problem goes beyond just cell phones. During Wednesday's operation, News 2 saw one driver get pulled over for eating while driving.
'Eating while you're driving — using two hands to eat a cheeseburger — if you're putting the makeup on in the mirror while you're driving, that is distracted driving,' Wilhelm said.
The only exception to Tennessee's hands-free law is if you are communicating with law enforcement during an emergency.
'We just have this nature — since the uptick in technology over the last two decades — that we have to do it right then and there,' Wilhem said. 'It's at our fingertips at any moment, so everybody feels compelled to address it right there.'
Wilhelm said most people who get pulled over are understanding and apologetic.
'It can wait. That's the biggest message that I would like to push out to everybody,' Wilhelm added.
JANUARY 2024: Harsher penalties for teens texting and driving now in effect in TN
Last year in Williamson County, there were about three times as many crashes caused by distracted driving compared to impaired driving, according to the WCSO.
'Today's operation really is about keeping people safe. It's not about tickets,' WCSO public information officer Becky Coyle said. 'Nobody's keeping a tally of how many people we can ticket. … It really is about keeping our community safe.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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