Four state commercial vehicle crackdown starts next week

Law enforcement agencies in four southern states will be joining forces for a major enforcement effort designed to reduce commercial vehicle crashes.

From June 22 — 24, 2021, the Georgia’s Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD) will partner with law enforcement agencies in South Carolina, Florida, and North Carolina for a high visibility traffic enforcement detail targeting the southeast I-95 corridor – where the agency says that 13% of the nation’s fatal CMV collisions occur.

The traffic enforcement effort, dubbed “SafeDRIVE (Distracted Reckless Impaired Visibility Enforcement)” will target both truckers and passenger vehicle drivers.

Officers will be on the lookout for aggressive driving, speeding, tailgating, failing to wear safety belts, distracted driving, and driving under the influence.

With respect to CMV drivers, officers will also be checking for hours of service compliance, commercial driver license compliance, medical certification, and commercial motor vehicle credentialing.

“The Georgia Department of Public Safety is excited to be a part of this initiative to make it safer for everyone to travel through our state,” said Major Jeremy Vickery, MCCD Commanding Officer. “We are committed to reducing dangerous driver behaviors like aggressive or distracted driving and educating all motorists, including both passenger vehicle and CMV drivers, on how to share the road safely.”

Georgia MCCD offered the following tips to passenger vehicle drivers on how to share the road with trucks:

• Stay out of blind spots. Large trucks and buses have huge blind spots on all four sides.
• Pass safely. Make sure you can see the CMV driver in their side mirror. Signal clearly and safely pass the truck or bus. Don’t linger in the blind spot. Make sure the truck or bus is visible in your rearview mirror before you pull in front.
• Don’t cut off large vehicles. It takes a large truck traveling at highway speeds the length of two football fields to stop.
• Don’t tailgate. Tailgating a truck or bus puts you in a blind spot.

Officials have similar traffic enforcement efforts planned for August 3 — 5 and October 5 — 7 this year.