CVSA Operation Safe Driver Week is coming, July 12-18, 2026. During this annual campaign, law enforcement across the United States, Canada and Mexico steps up roadside enforcement, watching for the unsafe driving behaviors that lead to crashes involving both commercial and passenger vehicles.
Here’s everything you need to know heading into the campaign – and how to drive through it the same way you always do: with confidence and professionalism.
What is CVSA Operation Safe Driver Week?
Operation Safe Driver Week is an annual enforcement and education campaign led by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), launched in 2007 in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The 2026 campaign runs July 12-18, spanning law enforcement agencies across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
During this week, officers increase traffic enforcement efforts on both commercial motor vehicles and passenger vehicles. Drivers displaying unsafe behaviors may be pulled over and issued a warning or citation.
This year’s focus area is reckless, careless and dangerous driving – broadly defined as operating a vehicle without due care and attention, or in willful disregard for the safety of others.
What violations do officers monitor during Operation Safe Driver Week?
Operation Safe Driver Week is not an equipment-focused inspection – it’s about driver behavior. Officers watch for a range of unsafe driving habits, including:
- Speeding – one of the most common citations issued each year
- Distracted driving – including texting, phone use and other in-cab distractions
- Following too closely (tailgating)
- Fatigued or drowsy driving
- Impaired driving – including alcohol and drugs
- Failure to wear a seat belt
- Unsafe or improper lane changes
- Disregarding traffic signals or signs
- Aggressive driving behaviors
The numbers from recent campaigns make clear that enforcement is real. In 2025, law enforcement interacted with 66,421 drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week. In that same year, officers across Canada and the United States pulled over 8,739 vehicles and issued 2,504 citations and 3,575 warnings.
Why Operation Safe Driver Week matters to professional drivers
For professional drivers, Operation Safe Driver Week is both a reminder and a recognition. You share the road with passenger vehicles every single day. The habits you bring to every load – your following distance, your phone discipline, your patience in traffic – have real consequences beyond your own CSA score.
What to know about speed and following distance
Speed is one of the leading citation categories during Operation Safe Driver Week, and it’s also one of the most preventable. According to the CVSA, speeding contributes to nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities each year.
For professional truck drivers, the stakes are higher than for passenger vehicles. A fully loaded commercial truck may need the length of up to two football fields to safely stop at highway speeds (FMCSA). That stopping distance increases significantly on wet or uneven road surfaces – conditions common in summer weather.
Safe following distance recommendations for trucks typically point to a minimum of one second for every 10 feet of vehicle length under normal conditions, and more in adverse weather. When construction zones, sudden slowdowns or distracted passenger vehicles enter the picture, that margin matters.
How to prepare for Operation Safe Driver Week
The best preparation for Operation Safe Driver Week is the same as preparation for any other week on the road. That said, it’s worth doing a focused check before July 12.
Before you roll:
- Confirm your license, medical certificate and any required endorsements are current and accessible
- Complete your pre-trip inspection carefully – tires, brakes, lights, load securement
- Review your Hours of Service logs and confirm compliance
- Make sure your seat belt is functioning and in use from the moment you pull out
Behind the wheel:
- Keep your phone hands-free and limit interactions to a single button – texting while driving is illegal for truck operators under federal regulations
- Give yourself more following distance than you think you need, especially in summer construction zones
- Signal well in advance of lane changes and turns
- If fatigue sets in, find a safe place to stop – drowsy driving is one of the enforcement priorities during this campaign
Distracted driving: The citation you can easily avoid
Distracted driving remains one of the most cited violations during Operation Safe Driver Week, and it’s also one of the most straightforward to address.
Under FMCSA regulations, truck drivers are prohibited from texting while driving. Mobile phones must be hands-free and dialed using no more than one button. Anything that pulls attention away from the road – eating, adjusting a navigation device, reaching for something in the cab – can contribute to distraction, even if it doesn’t result in a citation.
The FMCSA’s distracted driving awareness resources offer practical guidance for staying focused. CVSA also provides a free downloadable flyer, Defeat Distracted Driving, specifically created for truck drivers.
The simplest rule: if it doesn’t involve driving the truck, it can wait.
Professionalism on summer highways
Operation Safe Driver Week brings more law enforcement activity, but summer itself brings its own set of challenges – more passenger vehicles, more recreational drivers unfamiliar with how to share lanes with large trucks and more construction delays that can spike frustration behind the wheel.
Professional drivers know that the most dangerous moments on the road are rarely the dramatic ones. They’re the moments when a distracted car cuts across your lane, or a backup on a work zone ramp appears faster than expected. Staying calm, giving space and resisting the urge to match another driver’s aggression aren’t just best practices – they’re what separates a professional from everyone else on the road.
Maintaining professionalism during high-traffic, high-enforcement weeks is about mindset as much as technique. Other drivers may be unpredictable. Your response doesn’t have to be.
The habits experienced drivers rely on during high-enforcement periods
Veteran drivers don’t change how they operate during enforcement campaigns – because their everyday habits already reflect what safe driving looks like. That consistency is the goal.
A few habits that experienced truck drivers build over time:
- Scanning ahead 15 seconds (roughly a quarter mile on interstates) to anticipate traffic changes early, per FMCSA guidance
- Checking mirrors every 8–10 seconds to monitor blind spots and surrounding traffic
- Planning routes with rest – not just fuel and delivery stops, but actual fatigue management built into the schedule
- Staying current on weather and road conditions before trips, rather than reacting to them en route
- Communicating disruptions early – to fleet management, to dispatch, to anyone who needs to know
These aren’t habits you build in a week. They’re the result of consistent, intentional driving – the kind of driving CRST expects and supports every day on the road.
Safe driving protects more than your record
A citation during Operation Safe Driver Week has consequences beyond the stop itself. Violations can affect your CSA score, create compliance issues and in some cases result in being placed out of service. That means delays, missed deliveries and real financial impact.
But the bigger picture matters too. The reason Operation Safe Driver Week exists is that people are dying on U.S. roads at a rate that’s simply not acceptable. Every professional driver who operates with discipline and care is contributing to a safer highway system for everyone – other drivers, their own families and the communities the freight moves through.
Safe driving protects your livelihood. It also protects lives.
Drive with CRST – a carrier that puts safety first
Operation Safe Driver Week is one week of the year. At CRST, the commitment to safety is year-round – backed by training, support and a culture that values every driver who climbs behind the wheel.
If you’re looking for a carrier that takes safety seriously, offers competitive pay and supports you at every turn, explore what a driving career with CRST looks like.
Explore CRST driving opportunities at crst.com/careers
Frequently asked questions
When is CVSA Operation Safe Driver Week 2026?
Operation Safe Driver Week 2026 takes place July 12–18, across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
What is the focus of Operation Safe Driver Week 2026?
The 2026 campaign focuses on reckless, careless and dangerous driving behaviors, including speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving, following too closely and failure to wear a seat belt.
Do truck drivers get cited more than passenger vehicle drivers during Operation Safe Driver Week?
Operation Safe Driver Week targets all drivers on the road – both commercial motor vehicle operators and passenger vehicle drivers. Enforcement applies equally, though CMV drivers face additional federal regulations around phone use and Hours of Service compliance.
Can a citation during Operation Safe Driver Week affect a driver’s CSA score?
Yes. Moving violations issued to CMV drivers during roadside enforcement interactions can be recorded and may affect a driver’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) data and CSA score.
Is texting while driving illegal for CMV drivers outside of Operation Safe Driver Week?
Yes. FMCSA regulations prohibit CMV drivers from texting while driving at all times, not just during enforcement campaigns. Mobile phones must be hands-free and dialed using no more than one button.
What should a professional driver do if pulled over during Operation Safe Driver Week?
Remain calm, pull over safely, have your license, registration and medical certificate accessible, and interact professionally with the officer. The interaction itself is an opportunity to demonstrate the professionalism that defines experienced commercial drivers.
