Operation Safe Driver Enforcement up Significantly
Law enforcement officers pulled over 74,765 commercial and passenger vehicle drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 2013 Operation Safe Driver mobilization week, nearly triple the 26,487 stopped during last year’s event, according to just released figures

Photo: Evan Lockridge
Law enforcement officers pulled over 74,765 commercial and passenger vehicle drivers during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 2013 Operation Safe Driver mobilization week, nearly triple the 26,487 stopped during last year’s event, according to just released figures.

Photo: Evan Lockridge
Officers found that passenger car drivers continue to speed significantly more so than commercial vehicle drivers. Passenger vehicle drivers were issued a warning or citation for speeding 56% of the time, versus 7.3% for commercial vehicle drivers.
The top three reasons warnings and citations were issued to both commercial and non-commercial vehicle drivers included speeding, failing to use a safety belt and failure to obey traffic control devices.
During the week-long campaign, Oct 20 through 26, data was collected by 6,174 law enforcement officials at 1,868 locations across the U.S. and Canada. There also were numerous outreach events that occurred throughout the week at high schools, state capitals, state fairs, truck rodeos, sporting events and other locations.
This year, 29,048 CMV traffic enforcement contacts were made while the total was 20,398 in 2012. Non-CMV traffic enforcement contacts totaled 45,717 in 2013, up significantly from 6,089 in 2012. Roadside inspections totaled 44,882 in 2013 versus 36,221 in 2012.
The speeding numbers revealed the percentage of warnings and citations per contact to CMV drivers for speeding decreased from 10.8% in 2012 to 7.3% in 2013, while the percentage of warning and citations issued to passenger car drivers for speeding decreased from 56.3% to 56.% in 2013.
The results also show a decrease in the number of warnings and citations for failure to use seat belts for commercial vehicle and passenger car drivers. For CMV drivers, the percentage dropped from 3.8% in 2012 to 2.9% in 2013. For passenger car drivers, the percentage dropped from 5.1% in 2012 vs. 2.6% in 2013.
Operation Safe Driver was launched in 2007 by CVSA, in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, to address the problem of improving the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner, either by, in, or around commercial vehicles and to initiate educational and enforcement strategies to address those exhibiting high-risk behaviors. CVSA also organizes the annual three-day truck inspection blitz, Road Check.
CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada and Mexico.
More Safety & Compliance

FDA Eases Path for Oral-Fluid Testing
Federal actions could advance oral-fluid drug testing for truck drivers, but lab certification delays and marijuana rescheduling questions remain.
Read More →
Kodiak Lines Up Fleets for Driverless Trucking
An agreement for 75 trucks, a new Texas freight lane, and progress on safety validation move Kodiak closer to its planned driverless highway launch.
Read More →
More Trailer Data Through the Same Seven-Way [Video]
Can trucking’s standard seven-way connector handle more cameras and trailer data? Grote’s Adam Slade shows HDT how the company is using new technology with its 4See trailer system, not only to add a new backup camera but also to expand other capabilities — without adding another connection.
Read More →
PrePass Intelligence Mines Fleet Bypass, Toll and Safety Data
PrePass Intelligence helps fleets measure bypass savings, flag potential toll overcharges, and spot suspicious transactions by combining data from separate systems.
Read More →
Fatal Crash Exposes Toll Plaza Risks
An NTSB investigation found that last-minute lane changes and large speed differences at an Ohio toll plaza created a hazard the truck driver couldn't avoid in time.
Read More →
When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders
English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.
Read More →
A Camera Isn't a Safety Program. Here's What Brokers Are Screening for Now
Footage alone may not be enough to pass broker vetting processes. Here's what counts as a defensible safety program now.
Read More →
Marijuana and Trucking’s Drug-Testing Dilemma
Marijuana is getting stronger, laws are changing, and drug tests still can’t reliably establish impairment. What does that mean for truck drivers and the fleets that employ them?
Read More →
PrePass, Kodiak Connect Driverless Trucks to Roadside Enforcement
The system will allow enforcement agencies to verify Enhanced Inspection information and decide whether Kodiak’s autonomous trucks can bypass roadside screening sites.
Read More →
From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →

