LANSING. Michigan State Police (MSP) motor carrier officers stopped 1,109 commercial motor vehicles during Operation Safe Driver, which ran from October 19 to October 25. During that time, officers placed 56 drivers and 60 vehicles out-of-service for safety reasons, and issued 728 citations including 200 for speeding.
During the weeklong enforcement initiative, MSP motor carrier officers focused on identifying and stopping commercial motor vehicle drivers who were engaging in dangerous driving practices such as following too closely, speeding and improper lane use. Additionally, officers conducted commercial motor vehicle safety inspections to ensure drivers had the proper operating license and were in compliance with hours of service regulations.
"Eighty-eight percent of all crashes involving large trucks are caused by driver error," said Captain Robert Powers, commander of the MSP Traffic Safety Division. "Encouraging commercial drivers to avoid significant contributing factors such as inattention, excessive speed and impatience will make our highways safer for us all."
Operation Safe Driver is a joint initiative involving federal and state commercial motor vehicle enforcement officers from across the country and Canada that addresses commercial motor vehicle driver behaviors known to increase the likelihood of a crash. It is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).