VALDOSTA – Local law enforcement, in partnership with Georgia State Patrol, is introducing Operation Southern Shield for the third year in a row. This will be the case in other southern states as well, including Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Florida. This operation will bring a focus to highway and interstate drivers moving at threatening speeds.

Many question if such a campaign is worth the effort. The NHTSA sheds light into just how serious an issue speeding is in the States. In 2017, speeding killed 9,717 people, accounting for more than a quarter (26%) of all traffic fatalities that year. A loss of vehicular control, less protection from protective equipment, and increased severity of injuries are all very real consequences many have face trying to shave off a few minutes of travel time. Operation Southern Shield is here to remind drivers of that.