Safety Manager Tip of the Month: Operation Safe Driver Week

Operation Safe Driver Week is a safe-driving awareness and outreach initiative aimed at improving the driving behaviors of passenger vehicle drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers through educational and traffic enforcement strategies interactions with law enforcement. Held July 13-19, 2025, this annual enforcement and educational campaign is an effort to combat the number of deaths and injuries from crashes.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), state, provincial and local law enforcement, and industry, launched the Operation Safe Driver campaign in 2007 to reduce the number of deaths and injuries resulting from crashes involving large trucks, buses and cars.

Throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in risky driving, including speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, drunk or drugged driving, and more. Identified unsafe drivers will be pulled over and possibly issued a citation or warning.

According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 42,514 people were killed in traffic crashes in 2022. Transport Canada states that there were 1,931 motor vehicle fatalities in 2022. And Mexico reported 15,979 road deaths for 2022.

The focus of 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.

In addition to traffic enforcement, driver education initiatives are a major part of Operation Safe Driver Week. CVSA offers resources for commercial motor vehicle drivers, as well as for other drivers.

Remember: Follow the rules of the road, remain vigilant, don’t get in a hurry, and arrive safe!