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Work Zone Season Is Upon Us

Apr. 1 2022 Safety By McCandless Idealease

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Read the latest Idealease safety bulletin below or access the entire bulletin here. Remember to sign up for the weekly bulletin and receive it directly in your inbox! Stay informed on the latest safety news, tips, and information! Need a PDF version to download and share?

All previous Idealease safety bulletins can be found at: https://www.idealease.com/safety-compliance/safety-bulletins 

In This Issue:

  • National Work Zone Awareness 
  • 10 Tips for Driving Safely in Work Zones
  • Operation Safe Driver Week
  • Need a CDL to Operate a Straight Truck?

National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 11-15)

It's that time of the year where drivers are confronted with work zones.

Every year, about 600 people are killed in roadway work zones. In an average year, about 90 workers are killed in work zones: most of these due to a vehicle entering a marked-off area of construction. It is vital to be an alert and safe driver, especially in work zones.  

National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) is an annual spring campaign held at the start of construction season to encourage safe driving through highway work zones and construction sites. The key message is for drivers to use extra caution in work zones. For more information, check out the links:http://www.nwzaw.org; https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ourroads/work-zones-safety-tips

10 Tips for Driving Safely in Work Zones

  • EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED! (Normal speed limits may be reduced, traffic lanes may be changed, and people may be working on or near the road.)
  • SLOW DOWN! (Speeding is one of the major causes of work zone crashes.)
  • DON'T TAILGATE! KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE CAR AHEAD OF YOU. (The most common crash in a highway work zone is the rear-end collision. So, don't tailgate.)
  • KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE BETWEEN YOUR VEHICLE AND THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT.
  • PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS! (The warning signs are there to help you and other drivers move safely through the work zone. Observe the posted signs until you see the one that says you've left the work zone.)
  • OBEY ROAD CREW FLAGGERS! (The flagger knows what is best for moving traffic safely in the work zone. A flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign, so you can be cited for disobeying his or her directions.)
  • STAY ALERT AND MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS! (Dedicate your full attention to the roadway and avoid changing radio stations or using cell phones while driving in a work zone.
  • KEEP UP WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW. (Motorists can help maintain traffic flow and posted speeds by merging as soon as possible. Don't drive right up to the lane closure and then try barge in.)
  • SCHEDULE ENOUGH TIME TO DRIVE SAFELY AND CHECK RADIO, TV, AND WEBSITES FOR TRAFFIC INFORMATION. (Expect delays and leave early so you can reach your destination on time.
  • BE PATIENT AND STAY CALM. (Work zones aren't there to personally inconvenience you. Remember, the work zone crew members are working to improve the road and make your future drive better.)
  • Most States have a 511 Road condition app that you can download to your smart device




Speeding to be the focus of 2022 Operation Safe Driver Week (July 10-16)

This year's Operation Safe Driver (July 10-16) targets unsafe driving behaviors. 

Law enforcement personnel in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will be on roadways throughout that week issuing warnings and citations to commercial and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors. This includes speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, improper lane change, drunk or drugged driving, etc. 

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its latest annual traffic crash report. The report stated that 38,824 lives were lost in traffic crashes nationwide in 2020 – the highest number of fatalities since 2007. While the number of crashes and traffic injuries decreased overall, fatal crashes increased by 6.8%.

According to NHTSA's data speed related fatalities have increased 17% in 2020, Operation Safe Driver Week is meant to help identify and target speeding. 

The Operation Safe Driver Program was created to improve driving behaviors of all drivers and reduce the number of crashes. The hope is that through educational programs and traffic enforcement the number of road incidents will decrease. Operation Safe Driver Week was created by CVSA with support from federal agencies in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the motor carrier industry, and transportation safety organizations.


Do you need a commercial driver's license (CDL) to operate a straight truck with less than 26,001 pounds GVWR with air brakes?

This is a popular question that is regularly asked in seminars. The definition of a Commercial Motor Vehicle for the purpose of requiring a CDL as described in CFR 383.5 is as follows:

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or a combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle-

  1. Has a gross combination weight rating of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) inclusive of the towed unit(s) with a gross weight rating of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds)
  2. Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more)
  3.  Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
  4. Is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in CFR 383.5

So the answer is NO. However, your state may require a chauffeur’s license for a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or more and less than 26,001 pounds, i.e.; Michigan and Illinois.

Also, keep in mind that there is no such thing as an air brake endorsement! In reference to a Class A or B CDL, there is an air brake restriction only.  This means that the license holder either failed the air brake section of their CDL examination or they used a CMV without air brakes for their skills test


CVSA Schedules Roadcheck for May 17-19


The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), announced that this year's International Roadcheck will take place May 17th through the 19th. During the road check there will be a focus on wheel ends.

Roadcheck is a 72-hour high-visibility, high-volume commercial motor vehicle inspection, and enforcement initiative. Commercial motor vehicle inspectors in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. will conduct North American Standard Inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers at weighing and inspection stations, on roving patrols, and at temporary inspection sites. 

Each year, CVSA focuses on a different specific aspect of a roadside inspections, this year it is wheel ends. Wheel end components support the heavy loads carried by commercial motor vehicles, maintain stability and control, and are critical for braking. Roadcheck has determined, that wheel end violations account for one quarter of out-of-service vehicles. Roadcheck data has identified wheel-end components as a top 10 vehicle violation. 

*The Idealease Safety Bulletin is provided for Idealease locations and their customers and is not to be construed as a complete or exhaustive source of compliance or safety information. The Idealease Safety Bulletin is advisory in nature and does not warrant, guarantee, or otherwise certify compliance with laws, regulations, requirements, or guidelines of any local, state, or Federal agency and/or governing body, or industry standards.