CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.  (CLARKSVILLENOW) – If you saw a Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) bus traveling around Clarksville Wednesday, let’s hope you had your seat bet buckled and you weren’t texting if you passed it. The bus was part of a Safe Driving Initiative by law local and state law enforcement to crack down on traffic violators.

The bus carried law enforcement personnel from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), Clarksville Police Department (CPD),  and THP, who were watching for seat belt use, texting, and a number of other traffic violations.

Law enforcement on the bus radioed Clarksville Police Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies when someone was spotted for a traffic violation and the description of the vehicle was sent to an officer or deputy in a patrol car who would pull that vehicle over.

“Today what we’re trying to do is curb crashes in general but our ultimate goal is to drive down fatal and injury crashes,” Lt. Travis Plotzer with the THP said. “We see people do everything but drive. What we want to encourage folks to do is for people to just drive, focus on the roadway.”

In total, 74 citations were issued for traffic violations during the two-hour time the bus was traveling, with drivers not using seat belts topping the list.

32 – seat belt
8 – texting and driving
7 – expired tags
7 – insurance
5 – driving on revoked or suspended license
5 – distracted driving, due care violation
4 – other drivers license violations
2 – child restraint violations
1 – speeding
1 – red light violation
1 – stolen tag
1 – move over violation

Tennessee officials there have been 22,704 motor vehicle crashes in the state so far this year where distracted driving was a contributing factor. Of those crashes, 81 were fatal.

Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson shared his thoughts on the results of the Safe Driving Initiative.

“Hopefully in the future they recognize to not make that mistake or not text and drive or not go unbuckled. So far this year Montgomery County has 24 deaths and we don’t want another death,” Fuson said.

Joining law enforcement agencies on the THP bus were members of the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO), Montgomery County Driver Safety Office (MCDSO), and the District Attorney’s Office.