Speed kills, said Tennessee Highway Patrol Sgt. Shawn Boyd.

"The faster you go, the more likely you are to be involved in a fatality or serious injury crash," Boyd said.

That’s why Boyd and the Rutherford Count Traffic Safety Task Force joined the Operation Slow Down Tennessee that began statewide Friday. The campaign to save lives and slow speeding lasts through Oct. 29.

Troopers have seen an increase in drivers speeding and because of those speed, deaths and injuries increase as well, he said.

"My message to drivers is to slow down,” Boyd said. “That second or two you're going to shave off by speeding to get somewhere is not worth the end results that may result in a serious injury or even a fatality."

The task force team of officers issued 53 speeding citations and a total of 75 other traffic violations during eight hours Friday.

"Our goal is not to have to write any tickets,” Boyd said. “Unfortunately, we all know that isn't reality, that just does not happen. That's why we're out here to try and curb that."

Murfreesboro Police Lt. Greg Walker said THP troopers, Rutherford County Sheriff’s deputies and Murfreesboro Police combined efforts to enforce speeding laws and other traffic violations.

Here are the other citations issued from the kick-off Friday for the Tennessee Slow Down campaign:

Seat belt - 21
Hands Free - 16
Move Over Law - 5
Red Light - 1
No Insurance - 10
Loud Noise - 3
Registration- 11
Window Tint - 1
No Driver's License - 3
Miscellaneous other violations - 4