As passenger vehicle accidents spike, commercial drivers are taking an unsuspecting turn. Data from 2016’s Operation Safe Driver Week shows that commercial drivers are showing better behavior on the roads. This is a good sign for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers and everyone who shares the road.
Operation Safe Driver Week is held every October by law enforcement agencies across the U.S. with the goal to reduce the number of roadway injuries and fatalities from bad driver behavior. During the campaign law enforcement officers keep an extra eye out for both passenger and commercial drivers who commit driving violations. Examples of unsafe driver behavior include not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, distracted driving, tailgating and failure to obey traffic laws.
CMV drivers are getting less traffic violations
The results of the campaign were released this week showing that for the second year straight commercial drivers have been committing fewer violations. In 2015 police officers issued 13,807 citations and warnings for CMV drivers in comparison to 11,182 this year. The most common citations or warnings were for moving violations. This is a great sign for reducing injuries and fatalities from CMV accidents.
Commercial vehicles tend to be large and heavy. When CMV accidents happen they can do a lot more damage than passenger vehicles. Massive trucks can be very dangerous so CMV drivers are held at a higher standard than everyone else. This data shows that CMV drivers are becoming more responsible around the nation.
Dangerous accidents will still happen
While CMV driver behavior continues to improve deadly accidents still happen. The issue is that passenger vehicle drivers are much more vulnerable in an accident with a big truck. Large trucks must also factor in a longer braking time, 20 to 40 percent farther than for cars. In total 3,852 people died in large truck accidents last year, most of them being occupants in cars. Accidents between trucks and passenger vehicles can be traumatizing for all parties, which is why everyone on the road must focus on driving safety.
