Three day semi truck ‘safety’ blitz starts today in more than a dozen states

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is spearheading a multi-state enforcement effort meant to cut down on crashes involving commercial vehicles.

The “SafeDRIVE” enforcement effort is taking place August 3 — 6 in multiple states, with emphasis on I-95 in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Other states participating in SafeDRIVE include Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

There is an additional enforcement effort taking place through the I-81 corridor from New York down through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia on August 3 and August 6.

SafeDRIVE’s enforcement efforts will focus on both passenger vehicle and CMV driver behaviors, and include monitoring for aggressive driving, speeding, tailgating, failing to wear safety belts, distracted driving, and driving under the influence. Efforts will also help ensure CMV drivers are following industry regulations, including hours of service compliance, commercial driver license compliance, medical certification, and commercial motor vehicle credentialing. 

The FMCSA says that SafeDRIVE launched in 2014 when 400 troopers, officers, and FMCSA inspectors were stationed along the 900 miles of I-95 in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida for three days of concentrated enforcement – resulting in zero traffic fatalities in the corridor during that time. Because of the success of that effort, SafeDRIVE has expanded to include several other states with multiple enforcement periods per year.

A previous SafeDRIVE took place June 22 — 24, 2021. Another SafeDRIVE blitz is planned for October 5 — 7, 2021.