WASHINGTON — On April 13, 2023, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) posted a notice in the Federal Register requesting comments on the agency’s plans to add four new crash types to the Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP).
Since 2020, the FMCSA has collected data for its Safety Management System (SMS) for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Since its inception, the program has reviewed 16 crash types, modifying data within the SMS to determine which crashes were preventable and which were not. The incorporation of the crash types into the previous SMS system has made FMCSA better able to identify unsafe carrier and driver behaviors and prioritize them for intervention.
Now, based on FMCSA’s experiences with the enhanced crash review process, the agency proposes to modify existing crash types to broaden eligibility, including removing the differentiation between “direct” and “indirect” strikes and making other changes to improve use of data to identify methods to reduce crashes with non-motorists.
Public comments will be accepted on the proposed change until June 12, 2023.
Between May 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2022, a total of 133 accident reports were submitted for review; 96% of those incidents were determined to have been non-preventable. However, of the reports submitted, only 72.5% were eligible for review under the 16 crash types. Of those, 42.2% were determined to be non-preventable crashes in which a CMV was struck in the rear.
Based on the data analyzed to date, the FMCSA proposes changes to the 16 crash types, and to add four vehicle crash types to those already studied:
- CMV was struck on the side by a motorist operating in the same direction.
- CMV was struck because another motorist was entering the roadway from a private driveway or parking lot.
- CMV was struck because another motorist lost control of their vehicle.
- Any other type of crash involving a CMW where a video demonstrates the sequence of events of the crash.
For drivers, the primary issue involving the SMS system is the data’s impact on Pre-Employment Screening (PSP). For the revised list of crash types, the FMCSA will continue to include the crashes in SMS with notations of “preventable,” “not preventable” and “undecided.”
“Preventable” crashes will be removed from the file. “Not preventable” crashes will remain in the system for five years. The FMCSA will continue its practice of not noting preventable or undecided determinations in the PSP, because the driver may be unaware when a previous employer has submitted a crash resulting in one of those determinations.
To view a complete list of the crash types to be included in the revised reporting data, or to comment on the proposed change, click here.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
