Governor’s Highway Safety Office Kicks Off 100 Days of Summer Heat Campaign
NASHVILLE – The phrase, “I just got nailed by the cops,” is taking on a whole new meaning for Tennesseans. Today, the Governor’s Highway Safety Office joined AAA and the Franklin Police Department to launch “100 Days of Summer Heat” and unveiled a new “Drive Drunk, Get Nailed” message. GHSO has already spread the message to many in Middle Tennessee in a unique and surprising way. Vehicles with 10 foot nails driven through the hoods have appeared in high visibility locations across Middle Tennessee since June 22 in an effort to spread the word.
“There is never a good reason for getting behind the wheel after you’ve been drinking,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “Unfortunately, many people are still not getting the message, so we hope this new campaign will help draw attention to the problem of drunk driving in Tennessee.”
The nailed vehicles are part of a campaign to make drivers aware that Tennessee’s law enforcement agencies will be stepping up enforcement on the roads this summer and watching for anyone speeding, riding without a safety belt, or driving while under the influence.
“Impaired driving will not be tolerated on the roadways of Tennessee this summer, or at any other time throughout the year,” said Franklin Police Chief Jackie Moore. “If you are driving aggressively, impaired, or without a safety belt, you will get ‘nailed.'”
The heightened enforcement period, known as “100 Days of Summer Heat” is an annual event, but the message has never been communicated using such a bold method. The GHSO team will place the nailed vehicles in a variety of locations around the Nashville area through July 3 before moving them to Memphis, and then to other cities across Tennessee. At the same time, television viewers will begin seeing a new public service announcement featuring vehicles being nailed that will also deliver the message. In addition, the GHSO team will place printed materials in bars and restaurants across Tennessee to remind everyone to drink responsibly.
“Our goal is to generate buzz in Tennessee communities with this campaign, and continue to save lives on Tennessee’s roadways at an unprecedented rate,” said GHSO Director Kendell Poole. “Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for every age group in the United States, and it is particularly disturbing that most of these crashes are preventable.”
AAA Auto Club South is joining the GHSO and various law enforcement officers from across the region to reinforce the message of safety. Kevin Bakewell, Senior Vice President of AAA, Auto Club South added, “Texting and driving is distracted driving, and beginning July 1, it will be against the law in the state of Tennessee. We are proud to join with TDOT and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office to announce that this practice will no longer be tolerated.”
