If you drive a commercial vehicle or bus, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles is on the lookout for you.
The agency this week launched “Operation Safe Driver,” a campaign of increased traffic patrols for unsafe drivers with a focus on commercial vehicle and bus drivers.
“This special week reminds large truck and bus operators of the needless risks that are taken with aggressive or distracted driving,” said Melody A. Currey, commissioner of the DMV. “In addition, all drivers should pay extra attention when driving around commercial vehicles to ensure everyone’s safety.
The program runs Oct. 14-20, during which DMV personnel will focus on violations like speeding, following too close, making unsafe lane changes and driving distracted. Operation Safe Driver focuses on increasing commercial driver safety performance through enforcement and education. It is part of a national campaign sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and which seeks to reduce aggressive and distracted driving. Other states this week are also launching their own Operation Safe Driver programs that focus on how motorists can drive safely around large trucks and targets unsafe drivers.
Although teens typically aren't getting behind the wheels of commercial vehicles, state efforts to lower accidents in that age group have apparently been successful so far. A study by the DMV showed teen accidents declining by 13.8 percent in the past several years.
