The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently expanded its Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP), offering a strategic opportunity for motor carriers to enhance their safety profiles and operational reputations. As of December 2024, the FMCSA now recognizes 21 eligible crash types, including four new categories, for review under CPDP. This expansion allows more motor carriers to demonstrate that certain crashes involving their commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) were not preventable by their drivers. 

Understanding and utilizing the CPDP is both a compliance task and an essential risk management strategy. Accurate crash data is pivotal in shaping your company's Safety Measurement System (SMS) scores, which in turn can affect your standing with insurance providers, impact bidding opportunities, and influence customer confidence. Each of these three factors can have a negative financial impact if SMS scores are too high. Here are some actions to consider:

STAY INFORMED AND EDUCATE KEY STAFF

Make sure operations staff are up to date on the CPDP changes. The expanded list applies to crashes occurring on or after December 1, 2024, and includes categories such as indirect strikes and video-supported incidents. Leadership should ensure that relevant personnel understand the new criteria and procedures.

AUDIT YOUR CRASH RECORDS

Conduct regular reviews of crash histories, especially those involving ambiguity or external fault. For crashes within the five-year review window, determine whether they meet CPDP criteria for a Request for Data Review (RDR).