Be on the lookout for additional inspections while you’re on the road between October 16 and October 22. That is the designated time for Operation Safe Driver Week organized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) as part of their Operation Safe Driver program.
Law enforcement agencies will increase traffic safety enforcement for both commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles during this week. Their goal is to educate drivers and prevent unsafe driving behavior. A study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the “Large Truck Crash Causation Study” shows that driver behavior is a major factor in 88 percent of commercial vehicle accidents and 93 percent of passenger vehicle accidents.
What You Can Expect During Operation Safe Driver Week
The CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver programs main goal is to reduce deaths and injuries from large trucks, buses, and cars because of unsafe driving behaviors. Both truckers and young drivers are educated about how to share the roads safely. During the Operation Safe Driver Week, a one-week enforcement and educational event, CVSA focuses on specific goals:
- Increased traffic enforcement
- Increased safety belt enforcement
- Additional driver roadside inspections
- Educate young drivers about how to safely share the road with commercial vehicles
- Offer commercial vehicle driver education opportunities
The Results from Operation Safe Driver Week
This event originally began in 2007 in partnership with the FMCSA. Each year the results are used to help educate law enforcement, commercial vehicle carriers, and drivers of all ages and types. In 2015, information on driving habits across the United States, Mexico, and Canada came in from 2,789 law enforcement officials from 706 locations. The top finding between passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles was that passenger vehicles speed more often. Last year, 27 percent of passenger drivers were issued citations for speeding compared to 9 percent of commercial vehicle drivers.
For commercial drivers who may get stopped during Operation Safe Driver Week, here are the top violations so you can avoid them:
- Size and weight of truck
- Speeding
- Failure to use a seatbelt
- Failure to obey traffic control device
- Using a handheld phone
We all know these are things we should avoid year-round. Don’t get caught this year by failing to follow rules and regulations. You can use your Gorilla Safety app to make sure you’re up-to-date on your vehicle inspections and maintenance so that if you get stopped at any point, you have at least one less thing to worry about.
