Professional drivers spend more time behind the wheel than nearly anyone else, which makes everyday driving habits especially important.

During the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 2026 Operation Safe Driver Week, July 12–18, law enforcement agencies across North America are watching for unsafe behaviors by commercial and passenger vehicle drivers. This year’s campaign places additional emphasis on reckless, careless, and dangerous driving.

These safety reminders from CVSA can help commercial drivers stay focused, avoid unnecessary risks, and make every trip safer.

1. Always Buckle Up

Wear your seat belt every time the vehicle is moving, even on short trips or when driving at low speeds.

Seat belts help prevent drivers from being thrown from the vehicle or striking the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield during a crash. They can also help drivers maintain control during sudden stops or emergency maneuvers.

2. Prepare Before You Drive

Complete as many tasks as possible before putting the vehicle in motion.

Program your GPS, review your route, adjust the mirrors, set the instrument panel lighting, and organize anything you may need during the trip. Secure loose objects that could move around the cab or become a distraction.

Taking a few minutes to prepare can reduce the temptation to make adjustments while driving.

3. Follow Posted Speeds

Obey speed limits and adjust your speed to traffic, weather, road conditions, and the vehicle's size and weight.

Driving too fast reduces the time available to recognize and avoid a hazard. It also increases stopping distance and can make a crash more severe.

Reduce speed in construction zones, heavy traffic, poor weather, and areas with limited visibility. A posted speed limit reflects ideal conditions, not necessarily the safest speed for every situation.

4. Avoid Distractions

Anything that takes your eyes, hands, or attention away from driving can increase the risk of a crash.

Common distractions include adjusting the radio, eating, drinking, reaching for objects, entering information into a navigation system, and interacting with dispatching or communication equipment.

Make adjustments before leaving or wait until you can park safely.

5. Watch for Distracted Drivers

You may be focused on the road, but the drivers around you may not be.

Watch for vehicles that drift between lanes, travel at inconsistent speeds, brake suddenly, or fail to respond to changing traffic conditions. These can be signs that a driver is distracted, tired, or impaired.

Increase your following distance and avoid remaining beside an unpredictable vehicle longer than necessary.

6. Put the Phone Away

Federal regulations prohibit commercial motor vehicle drivers from texting or using a handheld mobile phone while driving.

That includes holding the phone, reaching for it in an unsafe manner, or pressing multiple buttons to place a call. The restriction also applies when a vehicle is temporarily stopped in traffic or at a traffic signal.

Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb,” silence notifications, and place the device somewhere that will not tempt you to reach for it.

FMCSA research found that commercial motor vehicle drivers who texted while driving had 23.2 times greater odds of experiencing a safety-critical event, such as a crash, near-crash, or unintentional lane departure.

7. Avoid Aggressive Driving

Do not allow another driver’s behavior to pull you into making an unsafe decision.

Avoid speeding, following too closely, making abrupt lane changes, blocking another vehicle, or using the vehicle to intimidate someone else. Do not engage with a driver who is acting aggressively.

Stay calm, create distance, and focus on reaching your destination safely. Winning a roadside argument is not worth losing control of the situation.

8. Make Only Necessary Lane Changes

Every lane change creates another opportunity for a vehicle to enter a blind spot or for traffic conditions to change unexpectedly.

Stay in your lane as long as it is safe and practical. When a lane change is necessary, check your mirrors and blind spots, use your turn signal, and make sure there is enough space to complete the maneuver safely.

Avoid sudden or frequent lane changes, especially in congested traffic.

9. Maintain a Safe Following Distance

Following too closely limits your view of the road and reduces the time available to react when traffic slows or stops.

Commercial vehicles generally need more stopping distance than passenger vehicles, particularly when fully loaded or on wet, icy, or uneven roads.

Leave enough space to recognize a hazard, respond smoothly, and stop without relying on an emergency maneuver.

10. Give Yourself Enough Time

Plan trips with enough time to account for traffic, construction, weather, fuel stops, inspections, and other delays.

Drivers who feel rushed may be more likely to speed, follow too closely, make unsafe lane changes, or skip necessary breaks.

A schedule is important, but it should never take priority over safe vehicle operation.

11. Never Drive Impaired

Never operate a commercial vehicle under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or any medication that affects your ability to drive safely.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications can also cause drowsiness, slower reaction times, dizziness, or impaired judgment. Read warning labels and speak with a medical professional when you are unsure how a medication may affect driving.

Watch for other motorists whose behavior suggests they may be impaired, and give them additional space.

12. Get Enough Rest

Fatigue can reduce awareness, slow reaction time, affect decision-making, and cause brief lapses in attention.

Get adequate sleep before beginning a trip and pay attention to warning signs such as frequent yawning, heavy eyelids, difficulty focusing, drifting within the lane, or not remembering the last few miles traveled.

If you begin feeling tired, pull over in a safe location and rest. Opening a window, turning up the radio, or consuming caffeine is not a substitute for sleep.

Federal regulations prohibit drivers from operating a commercial motor vehicle when fatigue, illness, or another condition makes it unsafe to drive.

13. Keep Your Attention on the Road

At 55 mph, a vehicle travels nearly 250 feet during a three-second glance away from the roadway. That is almost the length of a football field.

Keep checks of mirrors, gauges, and vehicle systems brief, and avoid attempting to manage multiple tasks while driving. Navigation, communication, and equipment adjustments should be completed before departure or after parking safely.

Safe driving is not just one major decision. It is a series of small decisions made mile after mile. Preparing before the trip, staying alert, allowing enough space, and refusing to drive distracted or impaired can help protect the driver, the vehicle, and everyone else sharing the road.