The North Carolina State Highway Patrol will be joining forces with fellow law enforcement partners in adjoining states to conduct quarterly, concentrated highway traffic enforcement periods this year as part of SafeDRIVE (Distracted Reckless Impaired Visibility Enforcement). Operation efforts aim to eliminate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) traffic collisions through periods of high visibility enforcement along the southeast I-95 corridor – where 13% of the nation’s fatal CMV collisions occur. Enforcement periods will take place June 22-24, Aug. 3-5 and Oct. 5-7.
“This is an important initiative and we are excited to further our partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and with state law enforcement agencies from across the Southeast,” said Colonel Freddy L. Johnson, Jr. “Our common goal is simple, work together through education and enforcement to ensure all roadway users practice safe driving. We have all too often seen the devastating consequences that come from speeding, inattention and operating a vehicle while impaired. One life lost due to these preventable occurrences is one too many.”
SafeDRIVE’s enforcement efforts will focus on both passenger vehicle and CMV driver behaviors, and include monitoring for aggressive driving, speeding, tailgating, failing to wear safety belts, distracted driving and driving under the influence. Efforts will also help ensure CMV drivers are following industry regulations, including hours of service compliance, commercial driver license compliance, medical certification and commercial motor vehicle credentialing.
SafeDRIVE’s enforcement efforts complement a national campaign run by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Our Roads, Our Safety, which educates all motorists on how to share the road safely.
All motorists should follow these safety tips:
- Stay out of blind spots. Large trucks and buses have huge blind spots on all four sides.
- Pass safely. Make sure you can see the CMV driver in their side mirror. Signal clearly and safely pass the truck or bus. Don’t linger in the blind spot. Make sure the truck or bus is visible in your rearview mirror before you pull in front.
- Don’t cut off large vehicles. It takes a large truck traveling at highway speeds the length of two football fields to stop.
- Don’t tailgate. Tailgating a truck or bus puts you in a blind spot.
The goal of SafeDRIVE is to eliminate highway fatalities due to CMV collisions. All road users should share the road safely.
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