Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Program Aimed at Increasing Road Safety
In partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has launched Operation Safe Driver Week. During this week, law enforcement agencies in the United States, Mexico and Canada have increased enforcement and spearheaded educational programs to combat unsafe driving by commercial vehicle drivers and the motorists who share the roadways with large trucks and buses.
Careless Driving to Blame for Tractor-Trailer Accident Fatalities
About 12 percent of all roadway fatalities involve a large truck or a passenger bus. In fact, tractor-tailor and bus accidents kill close to 4,000 people and injure about 100,000 people in North America every year. Unsafe driving conduct by both commercial and noncommercial drivers is often to blame for these tragic crashes. CVSA estimates that 88 percent of deadly large truck accidents are caused by driver error, either the truck driver or another motorist.
Texas is a main artery for trucks travelling in and out of Mexico. Many of these big-rigs pass through and around Fort Worth and Dallas. The truck drivers have a responsibility to drive safely and so do you. Whereas you should always drive safely, the risks of dangerous driving increase when a large truck or bus is involved. Speeding, tailgating an 18-wheeler, riding in the driver’s blind spot and concentrating on your phone instead of your driving can put your life in jeopardy.
What is Operation Safe Driver Week?
CVSA launched its Operation Safe Driver campaign to end these unnecessary deaths and injuries on U.S. Mexican and Canadian highways. The program targets commercial and noncommercial drivers who create dangerous conditions around large trucks and buses. The program, which runs from October 19 to October 25, focuses on:
- Commercial driver traffic law enforcement
- Noncommercial driver traffic code enforcement
- Seat belt use enforcement
- Commercial driver roadside inspections
- Commercial driver regulatory compliance
- Safety awareness programs for commercial drivers
- Public education campaigns about driving safely around trucks and buses
- Teen-focused awareness campaigns about driving near trucks and buses
- Distracted driving awareness campaign
This year’s Operation Safe Driver Program emphasizes three primary driving dangers — aggressive driving, distracted driving and the combination of speeding while following to close.
Were You Injured By A Commercial Vehicle Like A Tractor-Trailer?
I regularly represent victims of tractor-tailor accidents. Many of these often serious accidents were caused by the truck driver’s careless or distracted driving and almost always could have been avoided.
If you were injured by a negligent commercial truck driver, Berenson Law Firm can help. Call our Fort Worth Dallas office at 817-885-8000 or toll-free at 1-888-801-8585 or send us an email to schedule a free consultation.