Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) puts on Operation Safe Driver Week – a safe-driving awareness and outreach initiative aimed at improving the driving behaviors of passenger vehicle drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers.
Observed July 10-16, 2022, Operation Safe Driver Week is an opportunity for Flagship to celebrate the safe driving achievements of its employees and reinforce careful driving habits.
Incredibly in 2021, roadway fatalities increased 24% over the previous 12-month period, despite a 13% decrease in miles driven. This is the highest estimated year-over-year jump the National Safety Council has calculated in 96 years.
“The rising fatalities on our roadways are a national crisis; we cannot and must not accept these deaths as inevitable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The Operation Safe Driver Program – founded in 2007 by CVSA in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration – aims to reverse this alarming trend.
Data shows that traffic stops and interactions with law enforcement help reduce problematic driving behaviors. Law enforcement personnel will be on roadways throughout the week issuing warnings and citations to drivers engaged in dangerous acts such as speeding, distracted driving, and improper lane changes.
The focus area for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is speeding, which is a factor in many traffic injuries and deaths.
In fact, speeding was the top violation issued during Operation Safe Driver Week 2021. Officers handed out 1,690 speed-related citations and 2,549 warnings to commercial motor vehicle drivers.
“This safe driving initiative and campaign focuses specifically on drivers’ actions – whether it’s something a driver did, like speeding, or something they didn’t do, such as not paying attention to the driving task,” said CVSA President Capt. John Broers with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “This focus on drivers’ behaviors is our effort to identify and educate drivers who are operating dangerously on our roadways, with the goal of preventing crashes from occurring.”
Facilities management providers that employ drivers of any sort should conduct regular training on the dangers and challenges of commercial driving.
Not only does Flagship issue annual safety training for its drivers, but every vehicle is equipped with a GPS unit that monitors distracted driving, seatbelt use, and speed. Reports are provided to management on a bi-monthly basis.
As part of Operation Safe Driver Week, Flagship honored its drivers at Salt Lake City International Airport, Denver International Airport, and Flagship Culinary Services with safe driving certificates for their diligence behind the wheel.
For additional safe driving resources, visit CVSA.
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