GREENBELT, Md. — This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, set for July 11-17, will have an emphasis on speeding, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). During Operation Safe Driver Week, law-enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers who are engaging in risky driving behaviors in or around a commercial motor vehicle. Identified unsafe drivers will be pulled over and issued a citation or warning.
“Data shows that traffic stops and interactions with law enforcement help reduce problematic driving behaviors,” said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “By making contact with drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week, law-enforcement personnel aim to make our roadways safer by targeting high-risk driving behaviors.”
Despite a drop in roadway travel last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, national traffic fatalities increased. According to preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council (NSC), the estimated rate of death on roads last year increased 24% over the previous 12-month period, despite miles driven dropping 13%. The increase in the rate of death is the highest estimated year-over-year jump NSC has calculated in 96 years.
In addition to speeding, law-enforcement personnel will be tracking other dangerous driver behaviors throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, such as reckless or aggressive driving, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, failure to obey traffic control devices, failure to use a seat belt, and evidence of drunk or drugged driving.
CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program was created to help to reduce the number of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles due to unsafe driving behaviors. Operation Safe Driver Week partners with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, with support from the motor carrier industry and transportation safety organizations. This initiative aims to improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around commercial motor vehicles – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies.
To find out about local Operation Safe Driver Week enforcement events in your area, drivers should contact the agency or department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety in their area. Click here for regional contact info.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
I’ll believe it when I see some jerk get pulled over for cutting me off. Never happens, cops don’t care about our safety.