Greenbelt, MD – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has officially announced the dates for the 2021 “Operation Safe Driver Week.”

The annual enforcement blitz will take place July 11-17, 2021 and will focus on speeding.

In an announcement by CVSA, the group said law enforcement personnel will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in risky driving behaviors in or around a CMV.

CVSA said it selected speeding as its focus this year “because despite a drop in roadway travel last year due to the pandemic, nationally, traffic fatalities increased.”

The group cited preliminary estimates by National Safety Council’s (NSC), which estimated the rate of death on American roads last year increased 24% over the previous 12-month period, despite miles driven dropping 13%.

The increase in the rate of death is the highest estimated year-over-year jump NSC has calculated in 96 years, CVSA reported.

CVSA also focused on speeding in its 2019 and 2020 annual blitzes.

In addition to speeding, law enforcement agencies will also be on the lookout for what CVSA calls “other dangerous driver behaviors,” including:

• Reckless or aggressive driving;
• Distracted driving;
• Following too closely;
• Improper lane change;
• Failure to obey traffic control devices;
• Failure to use a seat belt;
• Evidence of drunk or drugged driving.

“Data shows that traffic stops and interactions with law enforcement help reduce problematic driving behaviors,” CVSA President John Samis said.

Operation Safe Driver Week is sponsored by CVSA and conducted in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and with support from the motor carrier industry and transportation safety organizations.

CVSA said the annual initiative “aims to improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around commercial motor vehicles – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies.”

Photo courtesy CVSA

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