Multi-State Blitz Along I-81 Corridor Announced By FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced a high-visibility traffic enforcement campaign taking place in multiple states this week.
According to the FMCSA, from June 20 through June 24, there will be extra enforcement along I-81.
During the traffic enforcement effort, state and local law enforcement will patrol the I-81 corridor in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia looking for unsafe driving behaviors like speeding, following too closely, and distracted driving.
The purpose of the I-81 traffic enforcement is to focus on safe driving for commercial motor vehicles and the passenger vehicles operating around those large vehicles, according to the FMCSA.
According to the FMCSA, I-81 is one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the eastern United States. In 2018-2020, there were over 3,200 collisions on I-81 involving commercial motor vehicles in the key states of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Tips For I-81 Travel
The FMCSA provided tips for both commercial vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers.
For commercial motor vehicle drivers:
- The enforcement waves along the I-81 corridor emphasize the need for all vehicles to share the road safely.
- Always obey all traffic laws: Wear your seatbelt, obey the speed limit, slow for work zones, and don’t drive distracted. Unsafe driving behaviors can lead to crashes and fatalities.
- Make sure your vehicle is in safe working order, and follow all regulations regarding hours of service, medical certification, and CMV credentialing and driver licensing.
- Additional tips for commercial motor vehicle drivers can be found at FMCSA’s website here.
For passenger vehicle drivers:
- Obey the speed limit on I-81 and wear your seatbelt.
- Never drive distracted or impaired.
- When driving around large trucks and buses, be patient and leave more space.
- Drivers of large trucks and buses have natural blind spots: Don’t cut off commercial motor vehicles or drive on the left or right side of them for a long period of time.
- Big trucks take 40% more space to stop: Don’t follow commercial motor vehicles too closely or merge or make sudden stops directly in front of them.
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