Kentucky State Police is reminding motorists to operate safely and free from distractions as they participate in a national enforcement campaign until Thursday.
Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement is participating in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Operation SafeDRIVE, which stands for Distracted Reckless Impaired Visibility Enforcement.
This enforcement campaign targets unsafe driving behavior that often leads to crashes involving passenger cars and commercial vehicles, a release from the law enforcement agency said. It complements national efforts to educate all drivers on safely sharing roads with large trucks.
The national SafeDRIVE initiative cracks down on dangerous interstate driving behaviors such as aggressive driving, speeding, tailgating, failing to wear a seat belt, distracted driving, and driving under the influence.
During this effort, KSP Commercial Vehicle Inspectors will open scale facilities, ensuring commercial drivers follow safety regulations, including hours of service compliance, commercial driver license compliance, medical certification and commercial motor vehicle credentialing, the release said.
Sgt. Jason Morris, West Commercial Vehicle Enforcement spokesperson, said the campaign can significantly impact highway safety.
“It is important to our officers that everyone travels safely on our roadways,” Morris said in the relese. “Operation SafeDRIVE is an opportunity for us to ensure drivers follow the rules of the road and offer tips to keep drivers protected.”
KSP encourages all motorists to take the following advice while driving on the roads:
• Stay out of blind spots: Large trucks and buses have big blind spots on all four sides.
• Pass safely: Make sure you can see the truck driver in their side mirror. Use your turn signals, and don’t linger in the blind spot. Make sure you can see the CMV vehicle in your rearview mirror before pulling in front.
• Don’t cut off large vehicles: It takes a large truck traveling at highway speeds the length of two football fields to stop.
• Don’t tailgate: Tailgating a commercial vehicle puts you in a blind spot.
