A vehicle accident register is a record that motor carriers must keep of every DOT-recordable accident involving their commercial motor vehicles. Required by FMCSA under 49 CFR 390.15, the register lists each accident's date, location, driver, injuries, fatalities and any hazardous materials release, and it must be kept for three years.
The accident register (often called the DOT accident register or crash register) is one of the first records FMCSA investigators ask to see during a compliance investigation. It also supports insurance, safety analysis and driver background checks.
What Is a Vehicle Accident Register?
Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, 49 CFR 390.15(b) requires motor carriers to maintain an accident register for three years after the date of each accident. FMCSA's rule text is available on the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR 390.15).
The register is not a specific government form. Carriers can use a paper log, a spreadsheet or software, as long as it contains the required information and can be produced when requested. The same section, 390.15(a), also requires carriers to make all records and information pertaining to an accident available to FMCSA, authorized state or local enforcement representatives, or authorized third parties within the time the request or investigation specifies, and to give reasonable assistance in any accident investigation.
What Counts as a DOT-Recordable Accident?
Only accidents that meet the FMCSA definition belong in the register. In the definitions section of 49 CFR Part 390 (sections 390.5 and 390.5T), an accident is an occurrence involving a commercial motor vehicle operating on a highway in interstate or intrastate commerce that results in at least one of the following:
- A fatality
- Bodily injury to a person who, as a result of the injury, immediately receives medical treatment away from the scene of the accident
- One or more motor vehicles incurring disabling damage that requires the vehicle to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other motor vehicle
The definition excludes occurrences involving only boarding and alighting from a stationary motor vehicle, and occurrences involving only the loading or unloading of cargo.
Fault Does Not Matter
An accident must be recorded if it meets the definition, regardless of who caused it. A crash where your driver was lawfully stopped and was struck from behind still goes on the register if someone was taken for medical treatment or a vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.
Medical Treatment and Disabling Damage
Two details often cause confusion. First, the injured person must receive medical treatment away from the scene, and it must be immediate. Treatment given only at the scene by paramedics does not meet that element on its own. FMCSA has issued guidance on what counts as medical treatment, so check current FMCSA guidance when a case is unclear. Second, disabling damage means the vehicle could not be driven from the scene in its usual manner. A vehicle towed for convenience when it could have been driven does not meet the definition.
Required Information in the Accident Register
For each accident, 49 CFR 390.15(b) requires the register to include:
- Date of the accident
- City or town, or the nearest city or town, and the state where it occurred
- Driver name
- Number of injuries
- Number of fatalities
- Whether hazardous materials, other than fuel spilled from the fuel tanks of the motor vehicles involved, were released
The carrier must also keep copies of all accident reports required by state or other governmental entities or by insurers. Many carriers attach police reports, insurance first notices of loss, photos and internal investigation findings to each entry for convenience, although only the items listed above are required.
Why the Accident Register Matters
FMCSA Investigations
Investigators use the register to calculate a carrier's recordable accident rate and to check whether accidents were reported accurately. Missing or incomplete registers can lead to violations and can affect the outcome of a compliance review.
Driver Safety Performance History
When a carrier hires a driver, it must investigate the driver's safety performance history with previous DOT-regulated employers under 49 CFR 391.23. That includes accidents, as defined in 390.5T, from the previous three years. Previous employers draw this information from their accident registers, and the responses become part of the driver qualification file.
Post-Accident Testing
An accident on the register often triggers a review of post-accident drug and alcohol testing under 49 CFR 382.303. The testing thresholds are not identical to the register definition. A fatality always requires testing, while injury and tow-away accidents require testing only when the driver receives a citation for a moving traffic violation arising from the accident.
Safety Analysis
The register is a valuable data source for identifying patterns by driver, route, time of day or vehicle type, and for measuring whether fleet safety programs are working.
How to Maintain an Accident Register: Step by Step
- Set a reporting rule for drivers. Require drivers to report every crash immediately, regardless of severity, so the carrier can decide whether it is recordable.
- Collect facts quickly. Gather the police report number, injuries, medical transport, tow information, hazmat status, photos and witness details.
- Apply the definition. Determine whether the event involved a fatality, immediate medical treatment away from the scene, or disabling damage requiring a tow. Document the reasoning for borderline cases.
- Enter the required fields. Record date, location, driver, injuries, fatalities and hazmat release.
- Attach required reports. File copies of state, governmental and insurer accident reports with the entry.
- Review testing obligations. Confirm whether 49 CFR 382.303 post-accident testing was required and completed within the time limits.
- Investigate and correct. Conduct an incident investigation and assign corrective actions where needed.
- Retain for three years. Keep each entry for at least three years after the accident date and be ready to produce it on request.
Accident Register vs. Other Records
- OSHA 300 Log: The OSHA 300 Log records work-related injuries and illnesses to employees. A truck crash can belong on both records, on neither, or on only one. For example, a third-party injury with no employee harm belongs on the accident register but not the OSHA log.
- Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports: A driver vehicle inspection report documents vehicle condition, not crashes, although post-crash repairs may appear there.
- Police crash reports: State crash reports feed FMCSA's crash data. The carrier's register should be consistent with these reports.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Recording only preventable accidents: All accidents meeting the definition must be recorded, regardless of fault.
- Leaving out intrastate crashes: The definition covers vehicles operating in interstate or intrastate commerce.
- Counting non-disabling tows: Recording every tow, even when the vehicle was drivable, overstates your accident count.
- Missing attachments: Failing to keep copies of required state and insurer reports.
- Discarding records too early: Entries must be kept for three years from each accident date.
How SMS360 Helps
SMS360's Vehicle Accident Register module gives carriers a central place to record DOT-recordable accidents with the fields required by 49 CFR 390.15, attach police and insurer reports, and keep records organized for the three-year retention period. Fleet and safety managers can assign follow-up actions and use reports to review accident trends by driver, vehicle or location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must be included in a DOT accident register?
Under 49 CFR 390.15(b), each entry must show the accident date, the city or town (or nearest one) and state, the driver's name, the number of injuries, the number of fatalities, and whether hazardous materials other than spilled fuel were released. Carriers must also keep copies of accident reports required by states, other governmental entities or insurers.
How long must a motor carrier keep the accident register?
Motor carriers must keep the accident register for three years after the date of each accident. Because the retention period runs from each accident date, a single register can contain entries with different disposal dates. Many carriers keep records longer for litigation or insurance reasons, but three years is the federal minimum.
Do non-preventable accidents go on the accident register?
Yes. The register must include every accident that meets the FMCSA definition, whether or not your driver was at fault. Preventability matters for internal discipline and some FMCSA programs, but it does not change whether an accident is recordable under 49 CFR 390.15.
Is a tow-away always a recordable accident?
No. A tow-away is recordable only if a vehicle had disabling damage that required it to be transported away from the scene. If the vehicle could have been driven away in its usual manner and was towed for another reason, the tow alone does not make the accident recordable.
