EN 
HI 
RU 
ES 
FR 
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) recently shared the results of this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, held from July 13 to 19. Law enforcement officers across Canada and the U.S. conducted 8,739 vehicle stops, resulting in 2,504 tickets and 3,575 warnings issued to both commercial motor vehicle (CMV) and passenger vehicle (PV) drivers for unsafe driving practices.
Operation Safe Driver Week is an annual initiative designed to enhance road safety through traffic enforcement, direct engagement with law enforcement and awareness campaigns. With reckless driving behaviors like speeding, distracted driving and aggression being top contributors to roadway crashes, this initiative is crucial for promoting safer driving habits.
Key Findings:
- Total Stops: 8,739 vehicles were pulled over.
- Citations and Warnings: Officers issued 2,504 citations and 3,575 warnings for unsafe driving.
Reckless Driving Focus:
This year, the spotlight was on reckless, careless and inattentive driving. Officers issued 20 citations and 53 warnings for these infractions, with CMV drivers receiving the bulk—12 citations and 47 warnings—while passenger vehicle drivers accounted for eight citations and six warnings.
Speeding Violations:
Speeding emerged as the leading infraction, with 1,249 warnings and 917 citations issued. CMV drivers were responsible for 1,073 warnings and 491 tickets, while passenger vehicle drivers received 176 warnings and 416 citations. Speeding significantly increases the risk of accidents by reducing a driver’s ability to react to hazards and increasing the severity of collisions.
Seat Belt Compliance:
The campaign also highlighted the importance of seat belt use. A total of 219 warnings and 264 citations were issued for seat belt violations, with CMV drivers receiving the majority—204 warnings and 248 citations. In contrast, passenger vehicle drivers received 15 warnings and 16 citations. Despite the known safety benefits, nearly 9% of U.S. drivers and about 14% of CMV drivers still neglect to buckle up.
Distracted Driving:
Texting and using handheld devices while driving were also significant concerns, with 129 warnings and 116 citations issued for these violations. This underscores the dangers of distractions, which can severely impair a driver’s awareness and reaction times, making them more susceptible to accidents.
Substance Abuse:
In terms of substance use, 14 CMV drivers received warnings and 22 citations for being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, while four passenger vehicle drivers faced similar consequences. Driving impaired not only slows reaction times but also compromises judgment and coordination, increasing the likelihood of crashes.
Awareness Initiatives:
Beyond enforcement, CVSA focused on raising awareness about unsafe driving behaviors. Nearly 70,000 postcards were distributed to inspectors and motor carriers leading up to the event, and a partnership with Paramount/CBS aimed to educate drivers on safely sharing the road with larger vehicles through digital campaigns that reached over 15 million impressions.
Human Trafficking Education:
Additionally, the initiative included efforts to combat human trafficking, with jurisdictions conducting 1,681 awareness activities to educate law enforcement and the public about this critical issue.
The Operation Safe Driver Program, part of CVSA’s transportation safety programs, was created to reduce crashes involving commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles caused by unsafe driving behaviors.
Operation Safe Driver Week exemplifies the collaborative effort between law enforcement, the motor carrier industry and federal agencies to reduce crashes and promote safety on North American roadways.
Log In