CVSA Releases 2020 Operation Safe Driver Week Results

Operation Safe Driver Week, held from July 12 to 18, was the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) first enforcement initiative of the year. It was delayed as a result of the postponement or cancellation of other enforcement campaigns due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the challenges associated with the pandemic, 3681 enforcement officers from 55 Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions interacted with 29,921 commercial motor vehicle drivers.

Commercial motor vehicle drivers were issued a total of 10,736 warnings and citations for traffic enforcement violations, broken down to 4659 citations and 6077 warnings. Traffic enforcement violations include unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, failure to wear a seatbelt, etc. State/local driver violations may include vehicle-related observations an officer may notice during a traffic stop, such as mirror equipment violations, expired license plate tags, inoperative lamps, etc.

The top five traffic enforcement citations given to commercial motor vehicle drivers were: Speeding/violation of basic speed law/driving too fast for the conditions, 2339; failure to use seat belt while operating commercial motor vehicle, 1003; failure to obey traffic control device, 617; using a hand-held phone/texting, 269; and improper lane change, 122 Speeding, the focus of this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, was the most cited traffic enforcement violation for commercial motor vehicle drivers. Those drivers received 3423 warnings and 2339 citations for speed-related offenses. That’s 56.33% of all warnings and 50.20% of all citations given to commercial motor vehicle drivers. In 2017, at least one driver-related factor was recorded for 32% of the large truck drivers in fatal crashes.

Failure to use a seat belt while operating a commercial motor vehicle was the second most identified traffic enforcement offense, accounting for 12.51% of all warnings (760) and 21.53% (1003) of all citations given to commercial motor vehicle drivers. Safety belt use remains one of the cheapest, easiest, and most important means to protect commercial motor vehicle drivers. Federal regulations state that a commercial motor vehicle shall not be driven unless the driver is properly restrained with the seat belt. In 2017, 13% of large truck occupants in fatal crashes were not wearing a safety belt, of which 45% were killed in the crash. However, seat belt use among commercial motor vehicle drivers continues to improve, with the overall seat belt use rate for drivers of medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses at a record high of 86%.

Using a hand-held phone or texting accounted for 4.35% of all warnings and citations issued to commercial motor vehicle drivers, the fourth on the top violations list. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) restricts the use of all hand-held mobile devices by drivers of commercial motor vehicles. Research commissioned by FMCSA showed that the odds of being involved in a safety-critical event (e.g., crash, near-crash, unintentional lane deviation) are six times greater for commercial motor vehicle drivers who engage in dialing a mobile phone while driving than for those who do not. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a commercial motor vehicle can result in driver disqualification. Penalties can be up to $2750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for employers who allow or require drivers to use a hand-held communications device while driving.

CVSA president Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police commented, “When commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles collide, no matter who was at fault, the results can be catastrophic, especially for the smaller and lighter passenger vehicle. Preventing crashes from happening requires every driver—commercial and personal—to be aware of how to safely share the road with other types of vehicles.”

SOURCE: The Weekly Propane Newsletter, September 3, 2020. Weekly Propane Newsletter subscribers receive all the latest posted and spot prices from major terminals and refineries around the U.S. delivered to inboxes every week. Receive a center spread of posted prices with hundreds of postings updated each week, along with market analysis, insightful commentary, and much more not found elsewhere.