Speeding was selected as the emphasis for this year’s Operation Safe Driver week, scheduled for July 14-20 throughout North America. During the annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) event, law enforcement personnel are on the lookout for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) and passenger vehicles driving dangerously. Anyone performing unsafe driving behaviors runs the risk of being pulled over and faces warnings or citations. Law enforcement personnel will also track driver behavior such as distracted driving, texting, seatbelt violations, following too closely, improper lane changes, reckless or aggressive driving, failure to obey traffic control devices, and driving while intoxicated. Industry facts based on speeding include:
- In 2017, speeding was a contributing factor in 26 percent of all traffic fatalities, accounting for 9,717 lives, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- During last year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, 1,908 CMV drivers were issued citations for speeding and 17 were cited for driving too fast for conditions.
- According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Loss Data Institute, speeding has been a factor in more than a quarter of crash deaths since 2008.
- According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2016 Large Truck and Bus facts, speeding was the most frequent driver-related crash factor for drivers of CMVs and passenger vehicles.