Safe driving habits are on cruise control: Tickets issued to over half of drivers tested

Of the 8,083 commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle drivers tested across North American roadways, 3,968 warnings and 2,604 tickets were issued for unsafe driving behaviors.

Speeding, distracted driving, and aggressive driving were among the leading causes of roadway crashes cited, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA’s) 2026 North America safety event findings. 

The top unsafe behaviors of 2026 include:

• Reckless, careless, and dangerous driving, which was the focus of this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week: 83 warnings and 33 citations were issued. Broken down by driver type, 50 warnings and 22 citations were issued to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and 33 warnings and 11 citations were issued to passenger vehicle drivers.
• Speeding, which was the most cited behavior: 1,003 warnings and 691 citations were issued. Broken down by driver type, 50 warnings and 22 citations were issued to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and 33 warnings and 11 citations were issued to passenger vehicle drivers.
• Failure to wear a seat belt: 292 warnings and 311 citations were issued. Broken down by driver type, 267 warnings and 270 citations were issued to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and 25 warnings and 41 citations were issued to passenger vehicle drivers.
• Possession, use or impairment of drugs or alcohol: 17 warnings and 26 citations were issued. Broken down by type, 12 warnings and 22 citations were issued to commercial motor vehicle drivers, and 5 warnings and 4 citations were issued to passenger vehicle drivers.

Other Top Warnings, Citations, and Tickets Issued to CMV Drivers
Offense	Total # Warnings	Total # Citations
Failure to obey traffic control device	652	319
Improper lane change	76	23
Following too closely	48	23
Improper passing	29	10
Improper turn	12	3

The goal of Operation Safe Driver Week strives to improve driver safety and lessen the number of accidents on North American roadways. The event was held from July 12–18. Law enforcement agencies from 36 U.S. states, 7 Canadian provinces, and Mexico participated in this year’s initiative.