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This year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is rolling out a new system for tracking code violations and truck accidents to better cite and correct those responsible for the accidents and hopefully reduce the number of truck accidents while also reducing the high demands on manpower required by the current system. The new system, known as Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010), has been undergoing test implementation in many states, and is being rolled out nationwide this summer. The goal is to better utilize limited manpower to conduct not comprehensive safety reviews, but targeted enforcement related to previous violations. Another new feature of CSA is a dual focus. Where the old system of inspection and safety analysis focused almost exclusively on the carrier, the new system focuses on both drivers and carriers, citing each where appropriate and following each for their respective violations. Consider, for example, an accident in which a speeding truck driver performed a maneuver that caused improperly secured cargo to come loose, causing an accident. Under the old system, the carrier would be cited for violations and fined, but would otherwise be treated the same as before. The driver would not be linked to the accident, and if he were fired he could be hired at a new trucking company, cause a similar accident, with no link being made between the two accidents. Instead, the second carrier would be cited and potentially fined. Under the new system, the carrier and the driver would be cited for their respective violations. The driver would be cited for speeding and reckless driving, while the carrier would be cited for improper cargo securement. The carrier would face increased scrutiny for cargo securement, and the driver would be monitored for future violations. The hope is that the new system will give better indicators of driver responsibility for large truck accidents. By tracking drivers involved in accidents, the hope is also that very dangerous drivers can be removed from the road. With nearly 40% of all fatal truck accidents being due to driver-related factors, this seems a crucial piece of the puzzle for reducing truck accidents in the future. The new CSA 2010 breaks down its focus into seven Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs): Unsafe driving Fatigued driving, including Hours-of-Service violations Driver fitness Drug or alcohol use Vehicle maintenance Cargo-related factors Crash indicator, which weights the other factors in terms of the accident caused The hope is that these seven simple categories will make it easier for state inspectors to file reports that can then be used to carry out enforcement nationwide. In the ten states where it has already been implemented, CSA 2010 has received mostly positive feedback. Law enforcement, in particular, has had mostly good things to say about the program, and the trucking industry, initially resistant, seems to be coming around.
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