CVSA Operation Safe Driver Week
Yesterday was the first day of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) weeklong driver-safety traffic enforcement initiative, Operation Safe Driver Week. From July 7 to 13, drivers exhibiting unsafe driving behaviors on our roadways, such as speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving, following too closely, etc., will be pulled over by law enforcement personnel and may be issued a warning or citation.
Operation Safe Driver Week aims to improve the driving behaviors of passenger vehicle drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers through educational and traffic enforcement strategies and interactions with law enforcement. The goal is to prevent crashes caused by unsafe driving behaviors.
Law enforcement personnel will report applicable interactions with drivers and citations and warnings to CVSA. That data will be gathered and analyzed, and the results will be released publicly later this year. View the results from previous years of Operation Safe Driver Week.
Each year, Operation Safe Driver Week focuses on a specific unsafe driving behavior in an effort to combat that dangerous habit. The focus area for this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is reckless, careless or dangerous driving. Any person who drives a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is driving recklessly. Careless/dangerous driving is defined as operating a vehicle without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other motorists or people on the road.
Operation Safe Driver Week is a North American initiative with participation from states/provinces and territories in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. There were 42,795 fatal traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2022. In 2021, there were 1,768 motor vehicle fatalities in Canada. And in 2022, Mexico reported 15,979 road deaths.
Another important aspect of Operation Safe Driver Week is driver education. CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program offers resources for teen and new drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers, along with safe-driving public service announcement videos, which are publicly available for download and distribution.
Through initiatives like Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement jurisdictions, the motor carrier industry and federal agencies work together toward the same goal – preventing crashes, injuries and fatalities on North America’s roadways.
Montana's 2024 Roadway Fatalities and Crashes
Buttigieg: Marijuana Reclassification Should Not Affect DOT Drug Testing Rules
In a June 27 congressional hearing, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said his agency believes that a recent Drug Enforcement Agency proposal to reschedule marijuana will not directly affect the trucking industry’s ability to screen drivers and other safety-sensitive workers for marijuana.
During a House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure hearing, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas), asked about the proposal to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
“The rescheduling and deregulation of marijuana would inevitably cause a number of people driving impaired while high,” Crawford said.
“Mr. Secretary, I think it’s safe to assume the number of all impaired drivers on our roadways would increase… can you speak to what your department is doing to ensure the transportation workers in safety reliant positions can continue to be tested for marijuana use if this proposal goes forward and how your department plans to address transportation safety in light of DOJ’s rulemaking?” Read More
Will's Safety Message
Falls continue to be the number one injury for Montana trucking companies.
Year after year, slips, trips and falls on the same level and falls to lower levels continue to take their toll on the safety, comfort and profitability of our workforce. The work comp numbers are staggering, and it seems that improvements are little at best. The slippery winters are part of the problem, but a culture of “just climb up there and get it done” also makes matters worse.
Please read on for tips and information shared from the National Safety Council on how to keep this terrible trend in check and keep it in your employees’ minds. Fall safety is important in Montana. You can explore more about this subject by using the links below, and next week we will cover at home injuries from falls as well.
Fall injuries across the United States:
It may come as a surprise that the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death is falls. In 2022, 46,653 people died in falls at home and at work, according to Injury Facts®. For working adults, depending on the industry, falls can be the leading cause of death.
Hazards in the Workplace
In 2022, 865 workers died in falls, and hundreds of thousands were injured badly enough to require days off of work. A worker doesn't have fall from a high level to suffer fatal injuries; 144 workers were killed in falls on the same level in 2022, according to Injury Facts. Construction workers are most at risk for fatal falls from height – more than seven times the rate of other industries – but falls can happen anywhere, even at a "desk job." Check out this industry profile to see the most recent data on workplace injuries and deaths by occupation.
Falls are 100% Preventable
Whether working from a ladder, roof or scaffolding, it's important to plan ahead, assess the risk and use the right equipment. First, determine if working from a height is absolutely necessary or if there is another way to do the task safely.
Discuss the task with coworkers and determine what safety equipment is needed.
Make sure you are properly trained on how to use the equipment.
Scan the work area for potential hazards before starting the job.
Make sure you have level ground to set up the equipment.
If working outside, check the weather forecast; never work in inclement weather.
Use the correct tool for the job, and use it as intended.
Ensure stepladders have a locking device to hold the front and back open.
Always keep two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand on the ladder.
Place the ladder on a solid surface and never lean it against an unstable surface.
A straight or extension ladder should be 1 foot away from the surface it rests on for every 4 feet of height and extend at least 3 feet over the top edge.
Securely fasten straight and extension ladders to an upper support.
Wear slip-resistant shoes and don't stand higher than the third rung from the top.
Don't lean or reach while on a ladder and have someone support the bottom.
Never use old or damaged equipment; check thoroughly before use.
Stay Safe!
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