A coalition of local and state agencies has launched the Hamilton County Traffic Task Force in a unified effort to combat rising traffic crashes and fatalities throughout the county. Officials announced the initiative Monday during a news conference held at the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
Led by the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, the task force aims to reduce preventable collisions through a combination of education, enforcement and community partnerships.
“We’re seeing a lot of risky behavior on our highways and we want our drivers to understand that we’re serious about making Hamilton County a safe place for drivers and pedestrians,” says Steve Dillard, law enforcement liaison for the THSO. “We’re committed to saving lives.”
The task force includes a wide array of partners: the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Chattanooga Police Department and local law enforcement agencies from East Ridge, Collegedale, Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain and Red Bank.
The Chattanooga and Tennessee departments of transportation, along with Erlanger Health Systems, are also supporting the initiative.
Captain Patrick Turner of the Tennessee Highway Patrol emphasizes the urgency of the task force’s mission.
“Even with current efforts, citizens are still being injured and killed in crashes at an alarming rate,” Turner says. “The main contributing factors – distracted driving, impairment, speeding and failure to use seat belts – are 100% preventable. This task force is an effort to bring awareness to these serious issues and hopefully save lives.”
Turner encouraged residents to report unsafe driving by dialing *THP.
Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett urges residents to join the effort, noting that enforcement alone cannot fix the problem.
“You see nearly every agency within Hamilton County standing here with us in our commitment to reduce crashes and save lives,” Garrett says. “But there’s one partner not physically present today: the public. We cannot accomplish our goals without you.”
Garrett recounted several reckless driving incidents he witnessed on his way to the news conference, including a near-collision involving a dump truck.
“These kinds of incidents impact every one of us. We’re asking the public to be the most important partner we have. If we can’t reach you through education, we’ll reach you through enforcement,” he said.
Chattanooga Police Chief John Chambers highlighted the impact of targeted enforcement and data-driven strategies.
Between 2023 and 2024, Chattanooga saw a 24% decrease in total crashes and a 50% drop in fatal crashes. Pedestrian-related incidents also fell by 55% between 2024 and 2025.
“We use crime and intelligence analysis to determine when and where crashes are most likely to occur so we can be there at the right time,” Chambers says.
Looking ahead, Chambers announced new pedestrian safety measures, including the deployment of speed enforcement cameras in school zones. Around 10 cameras are expected to be operational by the beginning of the next school year.
Chambers also reported a 44% increase in citations for hands-free law violations, signaling increased enforcement of distracted driving laws.
Despite encouraging trends in seat belt use – with more than 90% of crash victims wearing them – Chambers warned that unbelted occupants still make up a disproportionate share of fatalities.
“Wearing your seat belt could save your life or someone else’s,” he said. “It’s a simple act that has a huge impact.”