Week aims to improve commercial vehicle driver safety

On Behalf of Holmes & Wiseley, P.C.

Many Michigan drivers may worry about the potential for crashes when sharing the road with large commercial trucks. As vehicles rapidly move down the highway, the chance of an accident with a large vehicle could pose the risk of serious injuries and even fatalities. The vast majority of car crashes are caused by unsafe driving, so many efforts are intended to improve driver behavior on the roads both in passenger vehicles and in large trucks and buses. One such initiative, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Operation Safe Driver Week, has been scheduled for July 15-22, 2018.

The week includes the participation of law enforcement agencies across the country who step up actions against unsafe driving on that week in an attempt to highlight the risk of unsafe driving and lower the likelihood of commercial vehicle accidents. Driver behavior has been cited by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as the cause of 93 percent of all crashes involving passenger vehicles and 88 percent of all accidents involving large trucks. There are a number of driving behaviors that can lead to dangerous accidents, including distracted driving, tailgating or simply speeding.

In 2017, Operation Safe Driver Week included the distribution of almost 39,000 citations to commercial vehicle drivers and even more to passenger vehicle operators. Most of these citations and warnings were given for moving violations, while other common problems included speeding, using a handheld mobile phone or texting while driving or failing to use a seat belt.

Despite efforts to make the roadways safer, commercial vehicle accidents can have a devastating impact for the victims. People who have been injured in a crash caused by a truck driver’s negligent or dangerous behavior behind the wheel can consult with a personal injury lawyer. An attorney can help accident victims to pursue their claim for compensation for the damages caused as a result.

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