Speeding Tops List of Citations

Law enforcement personnel throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico collectively stopped 28,148 commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week, issuing 5,671 warnings and 4,163 citations in the process. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual safety initiative, aimed at curbing dangerous driving by both CMV and passenger vehicle drivers through interactions with law enforcement, was held July 11-17.

Speeding, the focus of this year’s driver blitz, was the top traffic enforcement violation, with CMV drivers throughout North America receiving 46.53%, or 2,549, of all speed-related warnings and 15.30%, or 1,690, of all speeding citations. In the U.S., where 23,871 CMV drivers were pulled over for engaging in unsafe driving behaviors, 1,325, or 5.55%, were issued a citation for speeding/basic speed law/driving too fast for conditions. While this figure compares favorably with the 68.85% of passenger vehicle drivers in the U.S. who were cited for a speed-related offense during the weeklong event, speeding by a commercial vehicle driver is simply unacceptable.

Speeding reduces the amount of time needed to react to hazards, increases the chances of an accident, and the severity of a collision when it does occur. With the public not seeming to grasp the tragic consequences that speeding can bring, it’s up to the professionals on the road to set the example. Whenever you are driving, keep your head and your wits about you, watch your following distance, don’t let other driver’s bad behavior affect your safe driving and slow down for safety’s sake. And, if you do encounter a speeder, stay calm and carefully move out of their way.

The second most-cited violation by CMV drivers during this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week was failure to wear a seat belt. Law enforcement officers issued 1,225 citations throughout North America, and 791 citations in the U.S.

As a professional driver, you should always use your seatbelt and make sure it is fastened snugly. While buckling up can save your life, it can also protect others in the vehicle and anyone else on the road. In a crash, a seat belt keeps the driver in place behind the steering wheel and in control of the vehicle, thereby avoiding or reducing the consequences of an accident.

Other common violations for CMV drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week 2021 were failure to obey a traffic control device, texting/using a hand-held phone, improper lane change, and following too closely.

The next Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 10-16, 2022.