Nashville, Tennessee --- Be alert! Slow down! Be safe in the school zone! That’s the message to drivers and students from the Tennessee Department of Safety (TDOS) and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP). Today, the THP will launch their 2nd Annual Back to School Enforcement Effort to crack down on motorists who disregard laws designed to protect children.

The THP is dedicating approximately 850 work hours to enforce safety this month as students head back to class. Every State Trooper, including the Colonel, Lt. Colonels, Majors and Captains, will be closely watching schools zones and buses to help keep children safe as they travel to and from school.

“The goal is to protect Tennessee children from drivers who may be distracted, impatient or careless. That’s why you’ll see more State Troopers around school buses, at bus stops and in school zones, writing tickets to drivers who break the law,” said Department of Safety Commissioner David Mitchell.

Last year, as a result of the THP’s Safe Schools Enforcement Initiative, the number of traffic crashes in schools zones, between the hours of 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m., dropped nearly 10 percent compared to the previous 3 years. Overall, injury-related traffic crashes in school zones fell from 373, during the 2005-2006 school year, to 341 in the 2006-2007 school year.

“This effort, however, stretches far beyond school zones. A school zone isn’t just the 15-mile-per-hour area around a school. It’s anywhere our children travel,” stated Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Mike Walker.

Troopers will also be on the lookout to make sure young drivers are staying safe while behind the wheel. Students and their parents need to remember that drivers with a learning permit or intermediate driver license are not allowed to use a cell phone while operating a vehicle. “In 2001, Tennessee implemented a Graduated License Program to make sure that teen drivers have the necessary experience and safety record to receive their full unrestricted license,” stated Department of Safety Deputy Commissioner Greta Dajani.

For more facts and figures look at the statistics below.

The Tennessee Department of Safety's mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.