Operation Safe Driver Week

During the week of Oct. 18-24, 2015, law enforcement agencies throughout North America will engage in heightened traffic safety enforcement and education aimed at unsafe driving behaviors by both commercial motor vehicle drivers and car drivers as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week.

According to CVSA,12,502 people were killed and more than 287,000 were injured in crashes involving at least one large truck or bus between 2011-2013 in the United States. More than 70 percent of the deaths and injuries from these crashes were from multi-vehicle crashes with cars. Many of those accidents are the direct result of the drivers – both commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and car drivers. CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver program was created to help to reduce the number of crashes, deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving large trucks, buses and cars.

During Operation Safe Driver Week, activities will be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico with the goal of increasing commercial vehicle and non-commercial vehicle traffic enforcement, safety belt enforcement, driver roadside inspections and driver regulatory compliance.

In addition to enforcement, education is an important component of Operation Safe Driver Week. Law enforcement and transportation safety officials will offer educational and awareness safety programs to the motor carrier population and the motoring public.

Last year, during the week-long campaign, law enforcement officers pulled over 59,080 commercial vehicle drivers and car drivers for unsafe driving behaviors. Data was collected by 4,337 law enforcement officials at 1,549 locations across the United States and Canada. There also were outreach events throughout the week at high schools, state capitals, state fairs, truck rodeos, sporting events and other locations.

The top five warnings and citations issued to CMV drivers were:

1. speeding
2. failure to use a safety belt
3. failure to obey traffic control devices
4. improper lane change
5. following too closely

The top five warnings and citations issued to passenger car drivers were:

1. speeding
2. failure to use a safety belt
3. failure to obey a traffic control device
4. possession/use/under the influence of alcohol
5. improper lane change

Operation Safe Driver Week is sponsored by CVSA, in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and with support from industry and transportation safety organizations, and aims to help improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either by or around commercial vehicles – and to initiate educational and enforcement strategies to address those exhibiting high-risk behaviors.

To find out about Operation Safe Driver Week educational and awareness events going on in your state, contact a representative from CNS at 1-888-260-9448.