Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Friday announced the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and state law enforcement officials executed the first wave of Operation SafeDRIVE. This, according to a staement from Duffy, was a high-visibility, multi-state enforcement and education effort focused on reducing dangerous driving behaviors, ensuring drivers are properly qualified, and addressing unsafe drivers and vehicles on the nation’s roadways.
During the three-day effort, FMCSA inspectors and law enforcement partners in 26 states and the District of Columbia carried out targeted enforcement actions along major freight corridors and other high-risk locations that resulted in nearly 2,000 unqualified truckers and vehicles being removed from American roads.
These activities also resulted in:
- 8,215 inspections
- 704 drivers placed out of service (including nearly 500 for English proficiency violations)
- 1,231 vehicles placed out of service
- 56 arrests (including DUI and illegal presence in the U.S.)
“Operation SafeDRIVE shows what happens when we work together with our law enforcement partners to pull unqualified drivers and vehicles off American roads,” said Duffy. “We need a whole-of-government approach to ensure the Trump Administration’s strong standards of safety are in place to protect American families and reduce road accidents.”
The first phase of Operation SafeDRIVE took place from Jan 13-15. It covered Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
“This operation was about safety,” said FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs. “When drivers ignore the rules, operate without proper qualifications, or get behind the wheel impaired, they put all of our lives at risk. Operation SafeDRIVE demonstrates the value of focused enforcement and strong partnerships in removing these drivers and vehicles from our roads.”
