CVSA Announces 2014 Operation Safe Driver Results

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance today announced the results of 2014 Operation Safe Driver.

Operation Safe DriverOperation Safe Driver Week is a collaboration between the FMCSA and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. (CVSA). Each year,  law enforcement agencies throughout North America team up to crack down on unsafe driving.

Last year’s Operation Safe Driver campaign ran from October 19 through October 25, 2014.

During the 2014 Operation Safe Driver blitz, 4,337 officers pulled over 59,080 commercial and passenger vehicles.  In addition, 24,184 roadside inspections were conducted on commercial drivers and their vehicles.

According to the CVSA, “officers found that non-commercial motor vehicle (non-CMV) drivers speed significantly more so than commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. Non-CMV drivers were issued a warning or citation for speeding 52.3 percent of the time, versus 5.8 percent for CMV drivers.”

The top five warnings and citations that were issued to CMV drivers were for speeding, failure to use a seat belt, failure to obey traffic control devices, improper lane change and following too closely.

“Operation Safe Driver takes a targeted approach to identifying and taking action on problem driver behaviors exhibited by commercial drivers and passenger vehicle drivers,” said CVSA President Captain William Reese of the Idaho State Police. “CVSA members and our partners are having an impact by applying effective enforcement and education strategies to ultimately improve safety for all motorists.”

The following is a closer look at the numbers:

*From CVSA

• In 2014, 19,980 CMV traffic enforcement contacts were made; the total was 29,048 in 2013.
• Non-CMV traffic enforcement contacts totaled 39,100 in 2014; there were 45,717 in 2013.
• Roadside inspections totaled 24,184 in 2014 versus 44,882 in 2013.
• The number of warnings and citations per contact to CMV drivers was 0.45 whereas the number of warnings/citations per contact to non-CMV drivers was 1.27, nearly triple the amount.
• The percentage of warnings and citations issued to CMV drivers for speeding decreased from 7.3 percent in 2013 to 5.8 percent in 2014. It was 10.8 percent in 2012.
• The percentage of warnings and citations issued to non-CMV drivers for speeding decreased from 56.0 percent in 2013 to 52.3 percent in 2014.
• The percentage of warnings and citations issued to CMV drivers for failing to obey traffic control devices increased from 1.8 percent in 2013 to 2.5 percent in 2014.
• The percentage of non-CMV drivers issued warnings and citations for alcohol possession/use/under the influence in 2014 was 1.7 percent; in 2013, it was 1.5 percent.
• The percentage of warnings and citations issued to CMV drivers in 2014 for failure to use seat belts was 2.8 percent. It was 2.9 percent in 2013 and 3.8 percent in 2012. For non-CMV drivers, the percentage increased from 2.6 percent in 2013 to 4.1 percent in 2014.