💥 Crash Indicator: How FMCSA Scores Your Accident History

Your drivers may follow every rule and your trucks may pass every inspection — but if your company is involved in too many crashes, it could still take a major hit to your CSA score. That’s where the Crash Indicator BASIC comes in.

In this final post of our CSA series, we’ll break down what the Crash Indicator BASIC includes, how it’s scored, and why it's one of the most difficult categories to control — but not impossible to improve.

🚧 What Is the Crash Indicator BASIC?

The Crash Indicator BASIC measures a motor carrier’s history of crashes involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). It includes both preventable and non-preventable crashes, and it draws from official police-reported accident data in the FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS).

This BASIC is not visible to the public, but the FMCSA uses it to prioritize carriers for interventions like inspections and audits — especially if they have a pattern of crashes.

📋 What Types of Crashes Are Included?

FMCSA includes all reportable crashes, which means any incident that involves:

  • A fatality

  • An injury requiring immediate medical attention away from the scene

  • A vehicle that must be towed from the scene

These accidents don’t have to be the carrier’s fault — but they still count toward the Crash Indicator BASIC unless successfully challenged through FMCSA’s Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP).

📊 How the Crash Indicator Affects Your CSA Score

Crash history is weighted based on:

  • Recency (more recent crashes carry more weight)

  • Severity (fatalities > injuries > tows)

  • Frequency (number of crashes per vehicle miles traveled or inspections)

Just like other BASICs, FMCSA compares your crash data against similar carriers and assigns a percentile score — where higher means worse performance.

The intervention thresholds for Crash Indicator are:

  • General freight carriers: 65%

  • Hazmat carriers: 60%

  • Passenger carriers: 50%

Exceeding the threshold increases your chances of being flagged for a DOT investigation or safety audit — even if you’re otherwise compliant.

⚠️ Why Crash History Is So Tricky

What makes this BASIC especially frustrating is that:

  • Non-preventable crashes still count unless challenged and removed

  • It reflects past events, meaning it takes time to improve

  • One serious crash can heavily skew your percentile, especially for smaller carriers

That said, FMCSA does offer relief through the Crash Preventability Determination Program.

🧾 How to Remove Non-Preventable Crashes

If your company was involved in a crash that was clearly not your driver’s fault, you can submit it to FMCSA under the CPDP for reclassification.

Eligible scenarios include:

  • Struck while legally parked

  • Hit by a wrong-way driver

  • Rear-ended while lawfully stopped

  • Involved in a crash with a distracted/impaired third-party driver

Submit the crash report, police documents, and other evidence via the FMCSA DataQs system.

If approved, the crash will still appear on your record but will not count against your CSA score.

✅ How to Improve the Crash Indicator BASIC

1. Analyze Every Crash

Perform a thorough post-incident review for every crash. Look for patterns in driver behavior, routes, timing, and equipment.

2. Invest in Defensive Driving Training

Proactive driver training can reduce crash risk, especially when focused on:

  • Avoiding distracted driving

  • Maintaining safe following distances

  • Proper lane use and merging

  • Urban navigation and high-risk zones

3. Use Dash Cams and Telematics

Video evidence can protect you in litigation and help with crash preventability submissions.

4. Screen Drivers Thoroughly

Check for a history of preventable crashes or risky behavior during the hiring process.

5. Improve Maintenance and Vehicle Safety

Poor equipment can increase the risk of crashes — especially brakes, tires, and lighting. This also supports your score in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.

🛡️ Final Thoughts: You Can't Prevent Every Crash — But You Can Manage the Risk

The Crash Indicator BASIC may not be completely within your control, but it’s far from hopeless. By analyzing incidents, challenging non-preventable crashes, and improving driver training, you can reduce your risk profile and protect your CSA score over time.

Stay proactive, and make crash prevention a core part of your safety strategy.