CVSA schedules Operation Safe Driver Week for July
Commercial truck drivers in Illinois should know about the Operation Safe Driver Program, which was created by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance in the effort to reduce traffic injuries and deaths. As part of the program, the CVSA will be holding Operation Safe Driver Week from July 15 to 21. Law enforcement officials nationwide will be on the lookout for unsafe driving behavior in commercial trucks as well as the vehicles near them.
A study from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration states that unsafe driving behavior accounts for 93 percent of car crashes and, in particular, 88 percent of crashes with large trucks. This explains the need for greater traffic enforcement. During Operation Safe Driver Week, officers will be focusing on drivers who speed, are distracted behind the wheel, are texting, perform moving violations and neglect to wear a seat belt.
Operation Safe Driver Week is an annual event. Last year, more than 39,000 commercial truck drivers were issued citations and warnings. Most of these citations were for local and state moving violations. Drivers were also cited for failure to obey traffic control devices. 86 warnings and 18 citations were given to commercial drivers who were operating while ill or drowsy.
While this shows that drowsy driving was not the most prevalent danger during last year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, it remains a common form of truck driver negligence. If this or other negligent behavior contributes to an accident, the victim may have the grounds for a claim against the trucking company, and an attorney can often be helpful in negotiating a settlement with the company’s insurer.