Law enforcement will be on the lookout for both truckers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in dangerous behaviors July 14-20, 2019.
The crackdown is part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week, meaning there is a greater chance drivers will be issued warnings or citations for dangerous activity behind the wheel. The event is in response to federal numbers showing drivers’ actions contribute to a staggering 94% of all traffic crashes.
In 2017, the most recent year figures are available, speeding was a contributing factor in 26% of all traffic fatalities, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s 9,717 lives lost due to speeding.
During Operation Safe Driver Week in 2018, 16,909 passenger vehicle drivers and 1,908 commercial motor vehicle drivers were issued citations for speeding.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s “2016 Large Truck and Bus Facts,” speeding of any kind is the most frequent driver-related crash factor for drivers of commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles.
For these reasons, CVSA selected speeding as the emphasis area for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. Law enforcement jurisdictions throughout North America will be endorsing, promoting and supporting the following message: “Late won’t kill you, speeding will.”
In addition to the emphasis on speeding, law enforcement will be looking for other dangerous driver behaviors throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, such as: distracted driving, texting, failure to use a seatbelt, following too closely, improper lane change, reckless or aggressive driving, failure to obey traffic control devices and evidence of drunk or drugged driving.
Events such as Operation Safe Driver Week, other annual enforcement activities, plus roadside truck inspection events, have another benefit in addition to encouraging safer driving. They can help trucking companies and drivers improve their safety scores. How? Listen to this previous installment of the “Eyes on the Road” podcast from last year for the full details.
