Don’t forget about the FMCSA Crash Preventability Program!
Motor carriers and drivers can challenge the preventability of certain crashes through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Crash Preventability Determination Program. Non-preventable DOT-recordable crashes can be removed from your CSA scoring if approved by the FMCSA.
How the Program Works
The FMCSA has identified several crash types as non-preventable. Commercial motor vehicle crashes that meet the criteria and occurred on or after August 1, 2019, are eligible for consideration under the relaunched program.
Motor carriers and drivers must use the online DataQs system to demonstrate that their crash was not preventable.
Click the link below to challenge the preventability of a crash:
For more information about the program, visit:
Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP) | FMCSA (dot.gov)
If a crash is deemed non-preventable, the FMCSA will:
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Remove the crash from the carrier’s “Crash Indicator” score in the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) system, reducing the likelihood that the carrier will be targeted for enforcement action.
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Add a note to the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) indicating that the crash was not preventable, reducing the likelihood that the driver involved will be denied employment because of the crash on their record.
Qualifying Crashes
How do you know if your crash is eligible for consideration? The FMCSA has provided a list of scenarios that are defined as non-preventable.
A crash may be eligible if a commercial motor vehicle:
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Was struck in the rear.
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Was struck on the side at the rear.
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Was struck by a motorist driving in the wrong direction or was struck by another motorist involved in a crash caused by a driver operating in the wrong direction (e.g., a car traveling in the wrong direction strikes another car, which then hits a commercial vehicle).
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Was struck by a vehicle making a U-turn or illegal turn.
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Was legally stopped at a traffic control device (e.g., stop sign, red light, or yield sign) or was parked, including while the vehicle was unattended.
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Was struck by a vehicle that did not stop or slow in traffic.
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Was struck by a vehicle that failed to stop at a traffic control device.
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Was struck by an individual under the influence, or involved in a related violation such as operating while intoxicated, according to the legal standard of the jurisdiction where the crash occurred, or was struck by another motorist involved in such a crash.
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Was struck by a driver who experienced a medical issue that contributed to the crash.
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Was struck by a driver who admitted to falling asleep or being distracted (e.g., by a cell phone, GPS, passengers, etc.).
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Was struck by cargo, equipment, or debris (e.g., fallen rocks, fallen trees, or unidentifiable items in the road), or the crash was the result of an infrastructure failure.
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Struck an animal.
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Struck an individual committing or attempting to commit suicide.
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Was involved in a crash type that seldom occurs and does not meet another eligible crash type (e.g., being struck by an airplane or skydiver, or being struck by a vehicle operated by a deceased driver).
October 4–10 is Fire Prevention Week
National Fire Prevention Week is coming up, and it is a good time to review with your drivers how to prevent fires
and how to respond if a fire occurs in their commercial motor vehicle.
Fire extinguisher inspection is a vital part of a driver’s daily vehicle inspection process. It is surprising how often I inspect a truck and find that the fire extinguisher has lost pressure due to a leak or was previously used and returned to the truck without being recharged.
The actions a driver takes at the time of a fire are crucial to saving lives and minimizing the amount of damage or loss.
