This summer, your driving habits are under the spotlight—and no, not the one in your rearview mirror from that tailgater with their high beams on. Operation Safe Driver Week is rolling in from July 13–19, and it’s bringing a message with it:
Drive smarter, or drive into trouble. Your choice.
Led by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), this annual campaign is an all-out blitz focused on improving road safety across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Whether you’re behind the wheel of a family minivan or hauling 40 tons of concrete in a big rig, this one’s for you.
Law enforcement officers will be watching. Not from behind keyboards. From patrol cars. On highways. In truck stops. Anywhere you think no one’s paying attention—they are.
🚓 What Is Operation Safe Driver Week, Anyway?
Think of it like a safety intervention—except this one’s nationwide and comes with flashing lights and a possible fine. The CVSA launched Operation Safe Driver Week to tackle one of the leading causes of vehicle crashes: unsafe driving behaviors.
Every July, this initiative puts law enforcement and driver education into overdrive to stop the kind of risky road behavior that causes real damage.
And no, this isn’t just about CMV drivers. Passenger vehicles are equally in the hot seat. In fact, studies show they’re often the bigger problem when it comes to unsafe interactions with trucks. (Sorry, Karen in the crossover. That lane merge wasn’t cute.)
🎯 What’s the Mission Behind Operation Safe Driver Week?
Let’s keep it simple.
Operation Safe Driver Week exists to crack down on unsafe driving behaviors. This includes:
-
Speeding
-
Distracted driving
-
Driving under the influence
-
Tailgating
-
Improper lane changes
-
Seat belt violations
-
Just plain careless or reckless behavior
It doesn’t matter if you’re in a pickup or a Peterbilt—if your driving endangers others, you’re fair game.
This year, the theme is crystal clear:
Reckless, careless, and dangerous driving stops here.
That means no more weaving through traffic like you’re late for a Monster Jam audition. No more “just checking a quick text.” And no more pretending stop signs are optional.
📊 The Hard Truth: Why This Matters
If you’ve ever wondered why CVSA goes so hard on this campaign, here’s why:
In 2022:
-
42,514 people died in traffic crashes in the U.S.
-
1,931 fatalities occurred in Canada
-
15,979 road deaths were reported in Mexico
Add that up: over 60,000 lives lost in one year. That’s not a traffic problem. That’s a crisis.
And here’s where it gets heavier—most of these deaths were preventable. They weren’t caused by freak storms or asteroid strikes. They happened because someone drove too fast, looked away for a second too long, or made a careless choice.
And that’s exactly what Operation Safe Driver Week is designed to fix.
🛑 Flashback: What Happened in 2024?
Let’s take a look at last year’s campaign:
-
11,050 vehicles were pulled over
-
2,712 citations were issued
-
3,228 warnings handed out
Top violations:
-
Speeding: 1,694 warnings and 1,226 citations
-
Seat belt violations: 354 warnings and 554 citations
-
Distracted driving: 158 warnings and 169 citations
-
Impaired driving: 30 warnings and 49 citations
If you’re wondering what law enforcement focuses on during this week, there’s your answer. They’re out to stop the kind of behaviors that lead to tragedy.
🚛 CMV Drivers: This Means You Too
If you’re in the commercial vehicle game, this isn’t just a PSA—this is a compliance checkpoint. And the spotlight is on you.
We’re not saying CMV drivers are the problem—far from it. In many cases, it’s the four-wheelers causing chaos around them. But when a CMV does make a mistake, the impact is massive—literally and legally.
Unsafe CMV operation can cost:
-
CSA score points
-
Increased insurance rates
-
Contract opportunities
-
Your company’s reputation
-
Your driver’s career
If your company hasn’t recently reviewed driver training, safety culture, or your incident response strategy, this is your heads-up.
📚 Enforcement Meets Education
Here’s what we love about Operation Safe Driver Week—it’s not just about slapping wrists. It’s about making real change.
CVSA provides a full lineup of educational materials, including:
-
🧑🎓 Resources for teen and new drivers
-
🚛 Safety tools for commercial drivers
-
🎥 Public service announcement videos for outreach
-
📨 Free multilingual postcards (English, French, Spanish) for fleets and safety programs
This is the week where conversations happen. Where drivers get a wake-up call. Where fleet managers lean into what safety should really look like.
So if you’re in a leadership role? Make it count. Don’t just warn your drivers—educate them.
🚦 How to Prep Your Fleet (and Yourself)
Operation Safe Driver Week shouldn’t sneak up on anyone. Especially if you’re a manager, business owner, safety officer, or just someone who actually cares.
Here’s a five-step game plan:
✅ Step 1: Talk to Your Drivers
Host a safety briefing. Hand out flyers. Text them a reminder. Put it on their dashboards if you have to. The more they know, the better they drive.
✅ Step 2: Review Your Safety Policies
When was the last time you updated your driver handbook? Do you have policies on distracted driving, lane discipline, seat belts, and speeding?
If it hasn’t been touched since the Obama administration, update it.
✅ Step 3: Use Your Telematics
Most fleets have GPS, dash cams, and ELD data. But how many actually use it? Pull reports. Look for patterns. Coach drivers before they become problems.
✅ Step 4: Reevaluate Training
Does your team understand what “reckless” actually means in legal terms? Could they pass a random inspection? Do they know what CVSA’s looking for?
If not—fix it.
✅ Step 5: Get a Professional Safety Audit
This is where we come in.
🧰 Enter Eclipse DOT: Your Compliance Wingman
We don’t just teach regulations—we live and breathe them. We’ve helped companies just like yours go from borderline chaos to polished, professional, and fully compliant.
Here’s what we offer:
-
🔍 Free DOT Micro Audits – Our pros look at your operation from top to bottom. No fluff. Just facts.
-
🎯 Customized fleet training – For managers, drivers, and safety teams.
-
📄 Policy overhauls – That reflect real-world driving, not outdated checklists.
-
☎️ On-call support – Because issues don’t only happen 9 to 5.
Let’s make one thing clear: we’re not here to point fingers. We’re here to help you fix stuff—fast.
👉 Book your free audit at EclipseDOT.com
🧠 Why This Week Matters More Than You Think
Let’s say it loud: Operation Safe Driver Week is not a gimmick. It’s one of the few times each year where enforcement, education, and accountability all collide.
Whether you’re:
-
A trucking company trying to stay off the radar
-
A new driver who still checks your blind spots twice
-
A safety officer who wants tools that actually work
-
Or just a parent who wants to make it home safely
This week is for you.
🧠 Final Thoughts from Dan:
“Look, nobody wakes up thinking, ‘I can’t wait to cause a crash today.’ But good intentions don’t mean squat if your drivers aren’t trained, focused, or supported. Operation Safe Driver Week is a chance to check yourself before someone else does.”
Don’t wait for the ticket. Don’t wait for the crash. Get ahead of it now.
Gain exclusive access to our CDL & DOT Compliance articles with a trial at DOTDocs.com. And don’t forget to claim your FREE micro audit at THE ECLIPSE DOT MICRO AUDIT. Ready for seamless operations? Discover the difference today!