Operation Safe Driver enforcement push starts July 12

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is pushing forward with Operation Safe Driver Week in July.

Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 12-18. The focus of this year’s enforcement campaign will be on speeding.

CVSA also plans to conduct its annual Brake Safety Week in August as usual, a spokesperson confirmed in May. CVSA did not conduct its usual International Roadcheck enforcement blitz in May because of the coronavirus pandemic after OOIDA and other organizations requested the event be canceled or postponed.

During Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel throughout North America will be looking for drivers who are engaging in unsafe driving behaviors on our roadways. Identified drivers will be pulled over by law enforcement and may be issued a warning or citation.

In addition to a focus on speeding, examples of other dangerous driver behaviors that law enforcement will track during Operation Safe Driver Week include distracted driving, failure to use a seatbelt, following too closely, improper lane change, reckless or aggressive driving, failure to obey traffic control devices, and evidence of drunk or drugged driving.

Less traffic, more speeding

In a May news release, CVSA noted that less traffic because of shelter-in-place and shutdown orders in most states appeared to have encouraged some drivers to ignore traffic safety laws, including speed limits.

“Despite there being far fewer vehicles on the road due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, many jurisdictions are seeing a severe spike in speeding,” the release said.

As the number of vehicles on roadways decreased in March and April, average speeds measured during the first week of April increased significantly in the five largest U.S. metropolitan areas.

The average speed on interstate highways, state highways and expressways in those areas increased by as much as 75% compared to January and February, CVSA reported. That is why the agency decided to focus on speeding during Operation Safe Driving 2020, CVSA said in a news release.

Other news sources have reported similar findings. Here are some from Land Line Media:

• Traffic officials: Stay-at-home orders result in increased speeding.
• Traffic fatalities down in first quarter of 2020.

Last year’s Operation Safe Driver results

Last year during the CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week in July, officers issued 46,752 citations and 87,624 warnings to drivers for traffic enforcement violations.

Speeding was the top reason for drivers to get citations or warnings last year, according to CVSA. There were 1,454 citations and 2,126 warnings issued for speeding or driving too fast for conditions, CVSA reported.

Failure to wear a seat belt was the second top reason for a citation or warning during last year’s Operation Safe Driver Week. There were 954 citations and 586 warnings issued.

The rest of the top 10 reasons for citations or warnings, in order:

• Failure to obey a traffic control device (426 citations, 871 warnings).
• Using a handheld phone/texting (249 citations, 170 warnings).
• Improper lane change (92 citations, 194 warnings).
• Following too closely (57 citations, 143 warnings).
• Possession/use/under influence of alcohol and/or drugs (55 citations, 18 warnings).
• Improper passing (41 citations, 30 warnings).
• Inattentive, careless and/or reckless driving   32 citations, 55 warnings).
• Operating a commercial motor vehicle while ill or fatigued (25 citations, 45 warnings).