Operation Safe Driver Week is an annual event aimed at promoting safe driving practices and reducing the number of violations on our roads.

This year, the event was held from July 14th to July 20th and focused on identifying and addressing the most common violations committed by drivers.

Is it distracted driving with a handheld phone?

Is it improper lane driving resulting in fatal crashes?

Is it disregarding Law Enforcement officials or Law enforcement personnel on the road?

Is it with the use of abusive language, disregarding respectful dialogue, and personal attacks on road authority?

Is it driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol?

As the official report from the event reveals, speeding remains the most prevalent violation, highlighting the urgent need for increased awareness and enforcement of speed limits.

Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement agencies and organizations to curb this dangerous behavior, it continues to be a major issue on our roads.

This article will provide a detailed analysis of the data collected during Operation Safe Driver Week and shed light on the alarming statistics surrounding speeding violations.

Additionally, it will delve into the potential consequences of speeding and the importance of acknowledging and addressing this issue in order to ensure the safety of all drivers and passengers.

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Consistent Trend of Speeding by Road Users

During this year's Operation Safe Driver Week, conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance from July 10 to 16, law enforcement officers in the United States and Canada identified a consistent trend of speeding as the most prevalent violation.

This brings up warnings for speeding as it leads to traffic crashes and traffic fatalities.

A significant number of warnings and citations were issued to both commercial vehicle operators and passenger car drivers, indicating the severity of this issue.

Notably, commercial motor vehicle drivers received a substantial number of warnings and tickets, emphasizing the need for enhanced compliance in this industry.

Deadly consequences of overspeeding are real. It is a form of reckless driving and aggressive driving that commercial drivers should never take for granted.

Similarly, passenger vehicle drivers also received a considerable number of warnings and citations, underscoring the urgency for all motorists to prioritize adherence to speed limits for the safety of themselves and others on the road.

Unsafe behaviors by both commercial truck drivers and regular car drivers are both important.

What Do the Law Officers Say

Throughout the week, law enforcement officers in both Canada and the U.S. took proactive measures to address unsafe driving behaviors among commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers. In total, they conducted 11,448 traffic stops. During these stops, officers handed out a combined total of 4,494 tickets/citations and 5,756 warnings to drivers.

Specifically, commercial motor vehicle drivers received 4,592 warnings and 2,634 tickets/citations, emphasizing the need for enhanced safety measures in this sector. Passenger vehicle drivers also faced consequences, with officers issuing 1,164 warnings and 1,860 tickets/citations to them.

Breaking it down further, in the U.S., officers targeted commercial motor vehicle drivers, issuing 4,329 warnings and 2,258 tickets/citations, while passenger vehicle drivers received 1,063 warnings and 1,503 tickets/citations. In Canada, officers dealt with 263 warnings and 376 citations/tickets among commercial motor.

Top Unsafe Driving Behavior

The primary cause of tickets and citations for both commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers were "other state/local driver violations." These violations encompass a range of infractions including not having a registration certificate, lacking proof of insurance, violating size and weight limits, and having defective equipment. These violations are typically discovered by officers after pulling over a driver for another offense.

In total, a significant number of warnings and tickets/citations were issued for other state/local driver violations, with 1,634 warnings and 1,119 tickets/citations recorded. Of these, the majority, 1,357 warnings and 859 tickets/citations, were given to commercial motor vehicle drivers. However, passenger vehicle drivers also received a significant number of warnings and tickets/citations, with 277 warnings and 260 tickets/citations issued for these violations.

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More Unsafe Driving Behavior

During Operation Safe Driver Week, authorities identified another prevalent unsafe driving behavior: the failure to wear a seat belt. A considerable number of warnings and tickets/citations, specifically 512 and 553 respectively, were issued in relation to this violation.

The data further reveals that commercial motor vehicle drivers were particularly at fault, as they received 455 warnings and 467 tickets/citations for neglecting to wear their seat belt. Similarly, passenger vehicle drivers contributed to this concern, with 57 warnings and 86 tickets/citations issued for their failure to buckle up.

Additionally, another prominent violation observed was the usage of handheld devices while operating a vehicle. This dangerous practice resulted in 243 warnings and 262 tickets/citations being issued to drivers who were caught texting or using a mobile device while driving.

In the realm of commercial motor vehicle operations, a total of 156 warnings were issued to drivers, accompanied by 132 tickets or citations, due to their engagement in texting or using a handheld device while operating their vehicles. It is important to note that the U.S. Department of Transportation has imposed stringent limitations on the use of any hand-held mobile devices by commercial motor vehicle drivers. Conversely, passenger vehicle drivers faced a distinct set of consequences, with 87 warnings given and 130 tickets or citations issued, all attributable to their involvement in texting or using a handheld device while operating their vehicles.

The failure to comply with traffic-control devices emerged as a prominent concern for drivers of both commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles, ranking among the top five warnings and tickets/citations. A significant number of 715 warnings and 320 tickets/citations were issued collectively to drivers from both categories.

Looking Back at Operation Safe Driver Week in 2022

Passenger vehicle drivers accounted for 30 warnings and 24 ticket citations due to noncompliance with traffic-control devices, while commercial motor vehicle drivers received a staggering 685 warnings and 296 tickets/citations. These statistics indicate a noteworthy decrease in comparison to the figures reported during Operation Safe Driver Week in 2022.

During the previous year, law enforcement authorities in both Canada and the United States carried out extensive traffic stops, targeting over 35,000 commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles. This initiative resulted in the issuance of 26,164 warnings and citations to drivers operating these vehicles.

Looking ahead to 2022, officers continued their diligent efforts, focusing specifically on speeding and violations related to basic speed laws, as well as driving too fast for prevailing road conditions. A total of 8,586 citations were issued for these offenses, accompanied by 7,299 warnings. It is noteworthy that commercial motor vehicle drivers received 2,577 warnings, while passenger vehicle drivers were cautioned a total of 4,722 times. Additionally, citations were issued to 1,490 commercial motor vehicle drivers and 7,096 passenger vehicle drivers for these violations.

These statistics highlight the proactive approach taken by law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and compliance of drivers on our roads. By addressing speeding and related infractions, and authorities.

The discrepancy in these figures compared to those from the enforcement week of this year can be attributed to the implementation of a new online data collection system by CVSA. This year, CVSA introduced a revised process for submitting roadside data submissions online. As a result of this transition, all the initiatives included in the data collection change have experienced a decrease in numbers.

William Elovirta, CVSA's Director of Enforcement Programs, acknowledged that this decline can be partly attributed to the adjustment period associated with the new system. Furthermore, Elovirta highlighted that certain jurisdictions were engaged in alternative highway safety enforcement activities or had allocated personnel to other policing priorities, which impacted their participation in the new data submission process. Consequently, for some agencies, the transition to the online system posed a challenge compared to the previous method of data submission.

The CVSA Annual Conference and Exposition

According to Elovirta, the CVSA Annual Conference and Exposition in Grapevine, Texas witnessed a strong commitment from Operation Safe Driver program participants to embrace the new online data collection process. In order to enhance support for jurisdictions facing challenges, CVSA is actively engaging with them. This year's activities will serve as a benchmark for future comparisons, thereby ensuring progress in the program.

A significant number of participants, including thirty-eight U.S. states and Canadian provinces, actively took part in Operation Safe Driver Week this year. Looking ahead, the next installment of this crucial initiative is scheduled to take place from July 7-13 next year.

In Conclusion

As the results of the Operation Safe Driver Week report show, speeding continues to be the most common violation among commercial and passenger vehicle drivers.

Never practice this high-risk driving behavior.

Risky driving behaviors or problematic driving behaviors could lead to casualties.

Follow every enforcement campaign promoting road safety, emphasis on speeding or focus on speeding, and all knowledge about the dangers of speeding.

This highlights the need for ongoing education and enforcement efforts to combat this dangerous behavior on our roadways.

It is important for all drivers to prioritize safety and obey traffic laws to help prevent accidents and keep our roads safe for everyone.

Motor carriers should make sure that all their drivers are equipped with such risky behavior and the other dangerous driving behaviors mentioned in this blog.

Let's have a better Annual Traffic Crash report next year making roadways safer.

Let's make the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proud of us truckers and carriers through lesser service violations and more safe transport reports.

Let us all do our part in promoting safe driving habits and reducing the number of speeding violations during next year's Operation Safe Driver Week and beyond.

If you want to stay updated with a wide range of trends, actionable insights, and innovative solutions in the trucking, freight, and logistics industry, stay connected to us.

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