Tag: #drivers

ADOT’s Safety Message Contest returns

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Public can submit entries through July 25

Safety MessagePHOENIX – Have you ever traveled past one of the unconventional traffic safety messages that the Arizona Department of Transportation displays on overhead message boards and thought, “Hey, I can do that!”?

Well, your time to shine is here! ADOT’s eagerly anticipated Safety Message Contest returns for its seventh year, and we’re inviting Arizonans to submit their most creative and engaging traffic safety messages. You can submit entries through Tuesday, July 25, at azdot.gov/SignContest.

The contest gives Arizonans the opportunity to see their clever safety messages displayed on Dynamic Message Signs statewide, encouraging drivers to make better decisions behind the wheel.

“Safety is a priority at ADOT; nothing is more important,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “We want these messages to spark conversations about safe driving. Real change happens when drivers prioritize safety and choose not to drive recklessly, distracted or impaired.”

When creating a message – there’s no limit to the number of entries you can submit – follow these guidelines:

  • The message must relate to traffic safety.

  • Signs accommodate three lines, 18 characters per line.

  • #Hashtags, phone numbers and website addresses are not allowed.

  • No emojis.

ADOT will select at least 10 finalists, then the public will decide the winners. The two messages that receive the most votes will appear on overhead message boards along Arizona’s highways.

ADOT displays quirky traffic safety messages as part of an effort to encourage drivers to change their actions behind the wheel. We all need a reminder about safe driving because, according to national crash data, more than 90 percent of vehicle crashes are caused by driver decisions, such as drivers choosing to speed and to drive aggressively, distracted or impaired. According to crash data, 1,180 people were killed in traffic collisions on Arizona’s roads in 2021.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Original article published by ADOT

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week is Underway

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Washington, D.C. (July 9, 2023) – Today is the first day of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) weeklong driver safety traffic-enforcement initiative, Operation Safe Driver Week.

Safe Driver

Photo: CVSA

Officers, troopers and inspectors throughout North America will take to roadways with keen attention to passenger vehicle drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers who are driving unsafely. Law enforcement personnel will be alert for individuals who are speeding, driving aggressively, ignoring roadway signs, using a handheld device, intoxicated, driving distracted, etc. Drivers engaging in such behaviors will be pulled over by law enforcement and given a warning or issued a citation/ticket.

This year, the focus area for Operation Safe Driver Week will be on speeding because it continues to be a major factor in traffic deaths and injuries.

  • There were 11,258 fatal crashes in the U.S. where at least one driver was speeding, 29% of the total traffic fatalities for 2020.
  • Speeding/driving too fast accounted for 25.3% of all fatal roadway crashes in Canada in 2020.
  • In 2020, 16.4% of road crashes on Mexico’s federal highway network were attributed to excessive speed.

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program aims to reduce unsafe driver behaviors through focused traffic-enforcement, driver interactions with law enforcement, and by educating commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers about ways to share the roads safely.

  • Drivers’ actions contribute to 94% of all traffic crashes.
  • In 45% of fatal passenger vehicle crashes, the drivers were engaged in at least one of the following risky behaviors: speeding, alcohol impairment or not wearing a seat belt.
  • From 2019 to 2020, fatalities in speeding-related crashes increased 17%, fatalities in alcohol-impaired driving crashes went up 14%, and unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities were up by 14%.
  • The top driver-related factors in fatal crashes involving commercial motor vehicles were speeding, impairment and distraction/inattention.

Throughout Operation Safe Driver Week, law enforcement personnel will provide warning and ticket/citation data to CVSA for each traffic-enforcement interaction. CVSA will gather that data and report the results later this year.

Another important aspect of Operation Safe Driver Week is driver-safety education, awareness and outreach. In the days leading up to and during the week, jurisdictions in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will provide safe-driving seminars, information and resources to passenger vehicle drivers, commercial motor vehicle drivers and motor carrier safety personnel. CVSA also offers safe-driving public service announcements and resources and materials for teen and new drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers.

View the results from previous years of Operation Safe Driver Week.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Original article published by CVSA

FMCSA Announces Commitments to Road Safety Through Inaugural Our Roads, Our Safety Week

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by FMCSA

This safety observance will launch alongside two national public awareness campaigns promoting safe driving practices among all road users, including large truck and bus drivers.

Washington – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced the start of its first-ever Our Roads, Our Safety Week, a safety observance dedicated to educating all road users on sharing the road safely with large trucks and buses. This effort, taking place May 7-13, 2023, will raise awareness and share actionable information on improving roadway safety, directly supporting the Department’s National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS)’s goal of zero roadway fatalities.

Each day of the safety week is dedicated to the following safety-related topics: Safer Roads, Safer People, Safer Vehicles and Safer Speeds, which aligns with the NRSS’s Safe System Approach. Activities during the week will also focus on young drivers.

On Thursday, May 11, FMCSA will host a stakeholder event (streamed on Facebook Live) highlighting FMCSA’s and the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry’s commitments to the NRSS. Attendees will hear about specific activities and actions stakeholders are taking to help reach zero deaths on our nation’s roadways.

Other Safety Week highlights include:

  • The announcement of a new CMV driver-focused outreach campaign dedicated to reducing or eliminating speeding on our roads.
  • The unveiling of a new Our Roads, Our Safety public awareness campaign look and feel, designed to increase awareness and promote safe driving practices among all road users.

“FMCSA is committed to safety. We have a responsibility to educate all road users on how to safely share the road with buses, 18-wheelers, and other Commercial Motor Vehicles,” said FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson. “Together we can make a difference in reducing the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.”

Large commercial vehicles are a critical part of our nation’s economy, transporting millions of dollars in goods and thousands of people across the country each day. The CMV industry contributes to our lives and livelihood, and it’s critical we work together to protect these professional drivers. Learn more about the Our Roads, Our Safety campaign by visiting ShareTheRoadSafely.gov.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

ATRI Seeks Truck Driver Input on the Impacts of Legalized Marijuana on Trucking

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by ATRI

Washington, DC – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) today launched a driver survey to better understand the impacts of state laws legalizing marijuana on the trucking industry and its workforce.  ATRI first deployed this survey in-person at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, KY last week where over 300 drivers completed the survey.  ATRI has now placed the survey online for additional driver input.

ATRI’s marijuana impacts research was a top research priority of its Research Advisory Committee in 2022.  This topic was identified as critical because of the conflict and uncertainty between new state laws legalizing marijuana and long-standing federal law, especially for those that are part of a federally-regulated workforce.

The survey asks for driver perspectives and knowledge related to new state laws, as well as the impact of these laws on roadway safety and the workforce.

“Driver input is a critical component of ATRI’s research and this newest survey is no exception,” said ATRI President Rebecca Brewster.  “We hope that professional drivers will take a few minutes to provide their perspectives on this critical topic.”

Truck drivers can complete the confidential survey online here.  The survey will remain open through April 28, 2023.

ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

CVSA Opens Nominations for 2023 International Driver Excellence Award

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

Original article published by CVSA

Photo: IDEA

Washington, D.C. (March 8, 2023) – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is now accepting nominations for its International Driver Excellence Award (IDEA), an annual award that recognizes an extraordinary professional commercial motor vehicle driver and their commitment to public safety.

In addition, the Alliance is pleased to announce that it has increased the monetary award amount for the IDEA winner, doubling it from the previous amount of $2,500, to $5,000 this year.

The 2023 IDEA recipient (and a guest) will also receive complimentary airfare to Grapevine, Texas, along with a two-night, one-room hotel stay at the Gaylord Texan, to attend the CVSA Annual Conference and Exhibition awards luncheon where they will receive their check and crystal trophy.

Nominees must have:

  • At least 25 cumulative years of crash-free driving in a commercial motor vehicle with a clean driving record for the past three years
  • No felony convictions
  • No safety-related driving suspensions in the past three years
  • No driver violations in the past three years, excluding form and manner violations

CVSA’s simplified application enables individuals to easily fill out the nomination form and submit the required supporting documentation, all online. Access the 2023 IDEA online nomination submission form.

As the leading organization working to improve commercial motor vehicle safety and enforcement by providing guidance, education and advocacy for enforcement and industry across North America, CVSA recognizes the exceptional careers of professional commercial motor vehicle drivers and their commitment to public safety through this award program. Therefore, IDEA is open to the entire commercial motor vehicle industry. There are no stipulations that nominees must be a member of or affiliated with CVSA to apply.

“Commercial drivers are the backbone of North America’s supply chain, ensuring people and goods reach their destinations safely,” said CVSA President Maj. Chris Nordloh with the Texas Department of Public Safety. “IDEA is the perfect way for a motor carrier to honor and recognize drivers for their vital work.”

Check out previous IDEA winners.

This year’s International Driver Excellence Award is sponsored by PrePass Safety Alliance. PrePass Safety Alliance is a non-profit, public-private partnership of state agencies and trucking industry leaders devoted to safe, secure and efficient use of North America’s highway system.

If you have any questions about IDEA, contact CVSA Fatigue Management Specialist Rodolfo Giacoman via email or at 202-998-1830.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

Operation Safe Driver Week Is July 10-16 With Focus on Speeding

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by CVSA

This year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 10-16. Law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will be on roadways throughout that week issuing warnings and citations to commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, drunk or drugged driving, etc.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) released its latest annual traffic crash report, showing that 38,824 lives were lost in traffic crashes nationwide in 2020 – the highest number of fatalities since 2007. And while the number of crashes and traffic injuries declined overall, fatal crashes increased by 6.8%.

Among the alarming statistics in NHTSA’s report was the key finding that speed-related fatalities increased by 17%. Consequently, speeding, in particular, will be a dangerous driving behavior that officers will identify and target during Operation Safe Driver Week.

“The rising fatalities on our roadways are a national crisis; we cannot and must not accept these deaths as inevitable,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Program was created to improve the driving behaviors of all drivers and reduce the number of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles on our roadways through educational and traffic enforcement strategies. Operation Safe Driver Week was created by CVSA with support from federal agencies in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the motor carrier industry, and transportation safety organizations.

“This safe driving initiative and campaign focuses specifically on drivers’ actions – whether it’s something a driver did, like speeding, or something they didn’t do, such as not paying attention to the driving task,” said CVSA President Capt. John Broers with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. “This focus on drivers’ behaviors is our effort to identify and educate drivers who are operating dangerously on our roadways, with the goal of preventing crashes from occurring.”

To find out about Operation Safe Driver Week enforcement events in your area, contact the agency or department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety in your area.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, USDOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

CVSA Releases 2021 Operation Safe Driver Week Results

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by CVSA

Law enforcement officers in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. stopped 46,058 passenger vehicle and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers engaging in dangerous driving behaviors during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safer Driver Week safety initiative.

Officers pulled over 28,148 commercial motor vehicles and 17,910 passenger vehicles July 11-17 and issued 10,486 warnings and 16,863 citations. Throughout the week, law enforcement personnel pulled over and issued warnings or citations to drivers they observed engaging in dangerous unsafe behaviors, such as speeding or distracted driving.

Speeding, which was the focus of this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week, was the top driver-behavior violation for both types of drivers. Officers issued 11,039 citations and 5,478 warnings for speeding/basic speed law/driving too fast for conditions. That’s 9,349 citations and 2,929 warnings for speed-related offenses to passenger vehicle drivers, and 1,690 speed-related citations and 2,549 warnings to commercial motor vehicle drivers.

The goal of Operation Safe Driver Week is to dissuade dangerous driving behaviors through interactions between drivers engaging in risky driving behaviors and law enforcement officers, and through a heightened law enforcement presence on our roadways.

View the full press release for much more data and information.

McCraren Compliance offers many opportunities in safety training to help circumvent accidents. Please take a moment to visit our calendar of classes to see what we can do to help your safety measures from training to consulting.

Traffic Fatalities

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by ADOT

Arizona sees 1,057 traffic fatalities despite sharp decline in total crashes in 2020
Fatalities rose to 12-year high despite fewer motorists on roads during pandemic

Crash data graphicPHOENIX – With noticeable reductions in traffic volume during parts of 2020 due to the pandemic, the total number of crashes on all Arizona roadways fell sharply. Despite that, the number of traffic fatalities rose to their highest levels in 12 years, according to the most recent Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report published Thursday, July 29.

The number of those killed in traffic collisions rose from 980 in 2019 to 1,057 in 2020, while the total number of traffic crashes came in under 100,000 for the first time since 1993. The report also shows that Arizonans traveled an estimated nearly 5 billion fewer miles in 2020 – a 7% decrease from 2019.

The Arizona Department of Transportation produces the annual Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report, which is a compilation of traffic crash reports provided by law enforcement agencies around the state. The report reflects crash data for all Arizona roadways, including city streets, county roads, reservation roads and state highways.

The 2020 report shows a decline across all categories in terms of number of crashes and injuries as one might expect from a year where travel was reduced and remote working and learning increased. However, the majority of the categories that track fatalities showed an increase, including deaths from speed-related crashes and lane-departure crashes and deaths from those not wearing seatbelts.

The rise in traffic fatalities last year illustrates that real change must begin in the driver’s seat as driver behavior is a major factor in traffic collisions.

Reducing crashes, fatalities and injuries can’t be solved by state agencies alone because more than two-thirds of crashes occur on roads other than state highways.

Two categories that saw fewer fatalities in 2020 than 2019 were alcohol-related and motorcycle-related crashes. Alcohol-related fatalities continued the trend over the last few years, declining to 181 deaths in 2020 compared to 258 in 2019 – a 30% decrease. Alcohol-related fatalities decreased by 21% from 2017 to 2019. Motorcycle-related fatalities saw a decrease from 170 deaths in 2019 to 160 in 2020.

The 2020 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts report is available at azdot.gov/CrashFacts.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

2021 ADOT Safety Message Contest winners!

Posted on by McCraren Compliance
First published by ADOT
By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

“Life is a highway” is the title of the popular song sung by both Tom Cochrane and Rascal Flatts. It also is the first line in one of two winning messages in the Arizona Department of Transportation’s annual Safety Message Contest. Here is the full message:

Life is a Highway sign

This is a clever and poignant message about the life-saving importance of wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle, whether you are the driver or passenger.

Now in its fifth year, ADOT’s annual Safety Message Contest allows the public to be a part of our communication efforts, to remind everyone to be responsible drivers behind the wheel. It’s a creative public engagement idea that I value and appreciate, and it always generates excitement!

For this year’s contest, we had more than 2,400 entries. The public voted on the top 10 finalists, with 6,000 votes to identify the top two entries. We have had more than 18,000 entries since the contest began in 2016. Thank you to those of you who entered the contest and for voting.

The other winning entry is a reminder to not panic if you miss an exit:

Miss your exit sign

 

Life is indeed a highway. Always wear your seatbelt and don’t panic if you miss an exit!

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.

It’s Operation Safe Driver Week

Posted on by McCraren Compliance

First published by CVSA

Photo property of CVSA

Greenbelt, Maryland (July 11, 2021) – Today is the start of Operation Safe Driver Week, a safe-driving awareness, outreach and enforcement campaign aimed at reducing crashes through interventions between law enforcement officials and unsafe drivers.

Throughout the week, law enforcement officers will be on the lookout for passenger vehicle drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers engaging in dangerous driving behaviors, such as speeding and distracted driving. Identified unsafe drivers will be issued a warning or citation.

Roadway fatalities increased 24% in 2020 over the previous 12-month period, despite miles driven decreasing 13% due to the pandemic. Furthermore, studies have shown that most crashes are caused by drivers’ actions – either something they did, such as speeding, or didn’t do, such as not paying attention to the driving task. Research has also shown that interactions with law enforcement change drivers’ behaviors.

“We know that roadway fatalities and crashes have increased, we know that drivers’ actions are often the cause of crashes, and we know that after a person is pulled over and warned or cited by a member of law enforcement, that person’s driving actions improve,” said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “We took what we know about causes of crashes and interventions to reduce the number of crashes, and made that into an actionable and measurable traffic enforcement safety initiative – Operation Safe Driver Week.”

Operation Safe Driver Week is the law enforcement community’s effort to reduce the number of crashes involving passenger vehicles and commercial motor vehicles by intervening in unsafe driving behaviors when they happen and warning or citing unsafe drivers in an effort to improve drivers’ behaviors.

During Operation Safe Driver Week, enforcement officers will be tracking their interactions with passenger vehicle drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers and will submit a report to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) at the conclusion of the week. CVSA will publicly report its findings in the fall.

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver program was created to improve the behavior of all drivers operating in an unsafe manner – either in or around commercial motor vehicles – through educational and traffic enforcement strategies.

Operation Safe Driver Week is sponsored by CVSA, in partnership with the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Mexico’s Ministry of Communications and Transportation and its National Guard, and with support from the motor carrier industry and transportation safety organizations.

To find out about Operation Safe Driver Week enforcement events in your area, contact the agency or department responsible for overseeing commercial motor vehicle safety in your area.

McCraren Compliance can help you understand and comply with FMCSA, DOT and ADOT and ensure your drivers and your vehicles operate safely and efficiently.

Call us Today at 888-758-4757 or email us at info@mccrarencompliance.com to schedule your free FMCSA Compliance Assessment.