National Awareness Campaign “Operation Safe Driver” Seeks to Educate All Drivers on Risks

Washington, DC (October 13, 2009) – When commercial vehicles and passenger cars collide, the result is a deadly and costly mix of injuries, property damage, and death. In an effort to reduce crashes involving trucks, buses and passenger vehicles the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and other organizations, are joining together to educate all drivers on the toll their behavior takes on society. The message: “Cutting it close can cut your life short.”

"Driving is a privilege and all drivers need to share the road responsibly. Operation Safe Driver shines a spotlight on this responsibility and is implementing strategies to improve driver behavior and performance,” said Stephen Keppler, CVSA’s Interim Executive Director.

Operation Safe Driver is a national awareness and enforcement campaign that targets improving both commercial and non-commercial driver behavior and performance through effective enforcement, education and awareness strategies. The program runs from October 18-24, 2009 across North America and is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Governors Highway Safety Association, American Trucking Associations, United Motorcoach Association, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the National District Attorneys Association, among others.

“Operation Safe Driver helps convey the message that every driver behind the wheel of a vehicle has a personal responsibility to make our highways as safe as they can be. Drivers of commercial vehicles have an especially important obligation because of the time they spend on the road,” said Rose A. McMurray, FMCSA Acting Deputy Administrator.

“This year’s campaign takes the importance of highway safety directly to our young people so they can adopt safe driving habits for a lifetime of safe driving practices. FMCSA is pleased to once again join with CVSA to sponsor this national awareness campaign that educates all drivers on how their actions can improve road safety and save lives.”

A new component of the Operation Safe Driver program this year takes the issue of aggressive and distracted driving by car drivers around large truck and buses directly to teens across the country. Schools will be teaching teens about the risks of dangerous driving behavior during this week and concentrate on the unsafe driving practices of drivers who share the road with larger, commercial vehicles. The “Teens and Trucks” training course was developed by the Arizona Trucking Association, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, CVSA, FMCSA and the American Trucking Associations.

The campaign kick-off event will be held at Walt Whitman High School, in Bethesda, Maryland on October 20, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. to draw attention to these efforts. On the same day, the Dr. Harry Wise High School in Prince George’s County will be conducting an educational component strictly targeted to teens and safe driving around commercial motor vehicles.

In addition, the campaign is launching a new public service announcement to educate all drivers about the risks of driving aggressively. The PSA can be viewed on the website www.operationsafedriver.com as well as on Washington D.C.’s WTOP’s traffic page www.wtop.com.

CVSA is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals; uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more on CVSA visit www.cvsa.org.