The Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division will be actively participating in Operation SafeDRIVE, an initiative led by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This operation, scheduled from February 27th to 29th, aims to address various hazardous driving behaviors that frequently result in accidents involving both regular cars and commercial vehicles. It aligns with broader national endeavors to promote safe interaction between all drivers, including those of large trucks, on the roads.

Operation SafeDRIVE specifically targets unsafe actions on interstates, such as aggressive driving, speeding, tailgating, failure to use seat belts, distracted driving, and driving while impaired. Throughout this campaign, inspectors from KSP’s Commercial Vehicle unit will be stationed at scale facilities, where they will ensure that commercial drivers adhere to safety protocols. This includes compliance with regulations concerning driving hours, possessing valid commercial driver licenses, maintaining medical certifications, and having the necessary credentials for operating commercial motor vehicles.

Officer Stevie Douglas, spokesperson for East Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, highlighted a troubling statistic: 62 percent of fatal accidents involving large trucks entail multiple vehicles.

“Our CVE officers and inspectors are committed to preventing dangerous driving behaviors like aggressive or distracted driving,” said Douglas.“Crashes are preventable, and this initiative makes it safer for everyone on our roadways.”

Kentucky State Police encourages all drivers to heed the following advice for safer driving:

  1. Avoid blind spots: Be mindful of the significant blind spots present on all sides of large trucks and buses.
  2. Pass safely: Ensure you have clear visibility of the truck driver in their side mirror before passing. Use your turn signals and avoid lingering in blind spots. Wait until you can see the commercial vehicle in your rearview mirror before merging back into its lane.
  3. Avoid cutting off large vehicles: Recognize that it takes a considerable distance for a large truck traveling at 65 MPH to come to a complete stop, equivalent to the length of two football fields.
  4. Don’t tailgate: Tailgating a commercial vehicle puts you in a dangerous blind spot.

Operation SafeDRIVE aligns with a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration called “Our Roads, Our Safety.” This collaborative effort aims to educate all motorists on safe practices for sharing the road with commercial vehicles.