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On Thursday, August 28, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS), announced $33.5 million in federal grant funds to be distributed statewide from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2025–2026 federal fiscal year.

Today, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) announced award recipients from its 37th Annual Tennessee Lifesavers Conference and 21st Annual Law Enforcement Challenge held Aug. 6 – 8, 2025. Agencies and individuals were recognized for excelling in child passenger safety, drug recognition, teen driver safety, traffic enforcement, and more.

Drivers who feel the need for speed better hit the brakes or be ready to see blue lights in their rear-view mirror during Operation Southern Slow Down. From July 14 to July 20, this speed enforcement campaign returns in five southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. To kick off the campaign, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, held press events in Franklin, Collierville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Kingsport to remind drivers to slow down.

During Independence Day weekend, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, will join Tennessee Highway Patrol and local law enforcement for “Safe on Seventy,” a campaign to increase traffic enforcement across U.S. Highway 70 statewide. U.S. Highway 70 stretches from West to East Tennessee spanning 500 miles across 21 counties, including Davidson County, Dickson, Cheatham, Wilson, Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, DeKalb, Cumberland, Roane, Loudon, Knox, Sevier, Jefferson, and more.

On Thursday, May 29, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, joined NASCAR driver Ross Chastain for a traffic safety event, reminding attendees to “Use Your Melon” and never drink and drive. This event was exclusive for students at Nashville Auto-Diesel College to help increase traffic safety education and promote safe driving behaviors.

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, State Rep. Scott Cepicky, the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and AAA today urged parents and caregivers to utilize the free ‘Baby in the Back’ car hangtag program to help reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths in children during the summer months.

On Tuesday, April 1, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), divisions of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, partnered with Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), local law enforcement, and other traffic safety partners for “Operation Hands Free” to crack down on violators of Tennessee’s Hands-Free Law during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. To kick off the campaign, the THSO hosted press events in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, and Knoxville followed by distracted-driving enforcement bus tours.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security marked a year of significant achievements in 2024, reinforcing its commitment to protecting and serving Tennesseans. From hiring and training over 150 State Troopers to advancing school safety initiatives and enhancing first responder communication systems, the department’s efforts directly contributed to making Tennessee a safer place to live, work, and thrive.

Today, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) announced results from its annual roadside observational survey to determine the state’s average seat belt usage rate. This survey returned a statewide usage rate of 92.2 percent. The 2024 usage rate represents an increase of approximately 0.2 percent compared to Tennessee’s 2023 survey result of 92.0 percent. The 2024 survey result is Tennessee’s highest annual seat belt usage rate to date.

Today, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) announced the expansion of its Judicial Outreach Liaison (JOL) program to include two additional judges, Judge Beau Pemberton and Judge James Ross. Tennessee is first in the nation to expand the JOL program model beyond one judge.

In an effort to help citizens directly impacted by the devastating flooding across East Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (TDOSHS) Driver Services Division is issuing duplicate identification licenses and driver licenses only at the Unicoi Police Department and Newport Grammar School.

Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Covington Driver Services Center, 220 Highway 51 N., Suite 1, will close on Friday, Sept. 27, for installation of new credentialing equipment and new self-service kiosks. It will reopen on Monday, Sept. 30.

Today, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) announced results from its annual roadside observational survey to determine the state’s average seat belt usage rate. This survey returned a statewide usage rate of 92 percent. The 2023 usage rate represents an increase of approximately 1.5 percent compared to Tennessee’s 2022 survey result of 90.5 percent. The 2023 survey result is Tennessee’s highest annual seat belt usage rate to date.

Today Secretary of State Tre Hargett, the Department of Health and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced a statewide partnership to distribute free Baby in the Back hangtags to help prevent heat-related child deaths in cars.