CVSA Safe Driving Week (10/15/17 - 10/21/17)

CVSA announced Operation Safe Driver Week over the summer. It runs from Sunday, Oct. 15 through Saturday, Oct. 21. Enforcement officers will be looking especially for drivers exhibiting unsafe and distracted behaviors, issuing warnings or citations to commercial and passenger vehicle drivers alike.

The goal of this exercise is ultimately to reduce motor vehicle fatalities. CVSA pointed to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) latest Large Truck Crash Causation Study, which found driver behavior to blame for more than 88% of heavy truck crashes and 93% of passenger vehicle crashes.

The good news is that not being ticketed during this specialized enforcement boils down to this: use common sense and drive as you're supposed to.

The bad news? Those things can actually be pretty hard to come by these days out on America's roadways. And even if officers pull over another heavy truck or passenger vehicle, it could create a traffic slowdown that can leave drivers stuck in it more prone to distracted behaviors.

Based on what enforcement officers will be watching for, here are eight tips to help avoid costly fines and citations during Operation Safe Driver Week.

No. 1: Put down the phone. Law enforcement agencies across the country have referred to distracted driving as "the DUI of today." It's been shown to be as dangerous as driving drunk, and it's found even more commonly than a once-ambivalent society decades ago tipped a few too many back and got behind the wheel. Distracted driving most frequently involves smartphones. Texting while driving is particularly egregious, taking the driver's attention fully off the road, but you don't have to be on the road long to spot someone talking on a handset. Both are prohibited by state laws in many cases, but they're also expressly verboten or restricted for commercial motor vehicle drivers.

No. 2: Keep your eyes on the road. Smartphones aren't the only culprit. There are plenty of other things in vehicles today that can take a driver's attention away from the task at hand — i.e., piloting those several tons (or many more) of steel missile on wheels safely. That's going to be at the discretion of enforcement officers to notice. Remind drivers to stay focused on driving and not something else like that in-dash media center

No. 3: Don't speed. Alright, lead foot, we get it. Who hasn't laid into the gas pedal now and then when driving along — maybe just because? But watch that speed particularly during Safe Driver Week. Of course it's smarter and safer to drive the limit, but keep in mind it goes farther than that. Even for fleets that use speed limiters on their trucks, poor road conditions and construction zones are two examples where speed can be more restricted. Speeding in some cases can also carry higher fines and penalties. It's a time of year when road construction is very prevalent, and officers are found commonly and may be paying particular attention to speeders, distracted drivers and so on in construction zones.

No. 4: Buckle up. Aside from staring at a smartphone, the next-quickest tip-off for enforcement officers to pull drivers over will be failure to wear a seat belt. It's an area where FMCSA stepped up efforts recently by requiring passengers in commercial vehicles to buckle up as well. If they don't, motor carriers and commercial vehicle drivers are held accountable. Why should we even mention this? Hasn't it been demonstrated for decades that wearing a seat belt saves lives in crashes? Well, yes. But there's always plain old forgetfulness, and seat belt use can be a problem among truck drivers. Fleet Owner has heard from more than a few fleets that reported some grumbling from drivers about seat belts being uncomfortable or restrictive

No. 5: Give way. They may be recent, but many states have "move over" laws that require drivers to pull away from the closest lane to a stationary police vehicle with flashing lights. It's usually tied to the stipulation "if it's safe to do so," but if it isn't safe to switch lanes, these laws may require the driver passing by to slow down considerably. The laws may also extend to other stopped emergency vehicles, tow trucks and others with flashing lights. It's also just a courtesy and a safer thing to do to give way to those stopped at the side of the highway when possible — be they someone changing a tire, experiencing a breakdown, etc.

No. 6: Don't tailgate. In today's often-frenzied or tight driving environments, keeping a safe distance just isn't always the norm. It's also especially tempting to get on that accelerator and push the driver in front of you after being stuck in a traffic backup of some kind, no infrequent occurrence. Whatever the cause, take a deep breath and ease up a little. Do your best to give the driver ahead some room. Truck drivers can face particular challenges with this since they're often cut off by passenger vehicles, sometimes by those entering or exiting the highway or maybe a driver who's just not paying attention.

No. 7: Straighten up and fly right. Signal your lane changes properly, don't blow traffic lights and stop signs and obey the rest of the traffic signs and devices out there. Officers will be watching for those things during Safe Driver Week. It's another one of these that should go without saying, but when was the last time you were cut off on the road or had some driver turn in front of you who didn't signal? When did you last see a vehicle "slide" past a stop sign or drive through a red light? Pretty recently? Keep those things in mind and remind your drivers to be on their best behavior for Safe Driver Week. Safety is no joke for fleets and trucking companies, not only for public safety reasons but because it affects bottom line and reputation as well

No. 8: Get the rest of your ducks in a row, too. If a driver does happen to get cited or pulled over for a closer look, officers are probably going to check for other violations. A majority of the top commercial vehicle violations resulting in being placed out of service are "BLTs" — and that's brakes, lights and tires. Drivers should stay extra sharp when conducting their driver vehicle inspection reports. Dot your i's and cross your t's!