Commercial drivers received nearly 2,000 citations
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance released results October 5 from Operation Safe Driver Week, conducted July 12–18 across 36 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces and Mexico. Officers interacted with 8,083 commercial and passenger-vehicle drivers. Commercial motor vehicle drivers received 3,409 warnings and 1,956 tickets or citations for unsafe driving behaviors.
Speeding was the most frequently cited behavior
Across commercial and passenger vehicles, officers issued 1,003 warnings and 691 citations for speeding. CMV drivers accounted for 772 of those warnings and 342 citations. Speeding reduces the time available to recognize hazards, increases stopping distance and raises crash impact forces—risks that become more severe with a heavy vehicle, changing traffic or poor road conditions.
Signals, seat belts and handheld devices also stood out
Commercial drivers received 652 warnings and 319 citations for failure to obey a traffic-control device. Seat-belt noncompliance led to 267 warnings and 270 citations for CMV drivers, while texting or handheld-device use resulted in 106 warnings and 136 citations. Officers also recorded CMV citations for following too closely, improper lane changes, fatigue and drug or alcohol possession, use or impairment.
The totals are enforcement results, not an industry violation rate
The campaign figures count warnings and citations issued during participating agencies’ contacts; they do not establish the percentage of all commercial drivers who committed a violation. One driver contact may involve more than one enforcement action, while more than 2,880 total contacts across commercial and passenger vehicles resulted in no warning or citation. Fleets should use the results to prioritize risk controls, not to label the broader driver population.
Driver and fleet takeaway
Drivers should set a legal speed before entering a grade, curve, work zone or congested corridor; wear the seat belt on every movement; stop safely before handling a phone; and create enough following distance to avoid abrupt decisions. Fleets can review telematics for speeding and hard-braking patterns, coach repeat behaviors, make dispatch schedules realistic and enforce a clear no-handheld-device policy. Track corrective action after warnings and citations, but do not reward rushing or create delivery expectations that conflict with traffic laws and safe operation.
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance — 2026 Operation Safe Driver Week Results
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