It can be difficult to sort through all the rules and regulations that the Department of Transportation has on truck drivers. But when it comes to safety, it’s important that truck drivers and the companies they work for are properly monitored and held accountable. This makes the road safer for every driver, commercial or not.
However, if the DOT attempted to keep track of every fender bender, every day, they would run out of resources pretty quickly. That’s why the DOT has set guidelines for recordable accidents.
DOT recordable accident rules do not apply to every driver on the road. They apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating higher than 26,000 lb for intrastate driving or 10,000 lb for interstate. They also apply to passenger vehicles that are designed to transport more than 15 people (including the driver) and vehicles operating under DOT hazardous materials regulations.
Even for these vehicles, there are certain conditions that need to be met for a DOT recordable accident. There must be a fatality, medical attention received away from the scene of the accident, or a disabled vehicle that needs to be towed. If any of these conditions are met, the accident must be properly recorded. The accident register and copies of accident reports must be kept on hand for three years.
Recorded accidents are used by the DOT to determine safety ratings for trucking companies. After collecting the proper data, they calculate how many accidents a company’s drivers are involved in for every million miles driven.
As always, we here at Platinum Drivers treat safety on the road with the utmost importance. If you’re interested in finding a truck driving job in Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, or Texas, visit our website for more information.