You're recovering from a truck accident on I-95, and the insurance adjuster insists the trucking company maintains an excellent safety record. But they neglect to mention the company's CSA data. Those safety measurements, calculated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), often tell a different story about patterns of violations and compliance failures.
A knowledgable Richmond truck accident lawyer recognizes that CSA data aren't just bureaucratic records; they're evidence that can expose a carrier's history of cutting corners on safety. Understanding what these measurements reveal gives you leverage against companies that prioritize profit over the rules designed to protect Virginia's highways.
What Is CSA and How Does SMS Work?
CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) is the FMCSA's safety compliance initiative. SMS (Safety Measurement System) is the scoring and prioritization system used within CSA to monitor motor carriers. SMS is updated regularly, typically monthly, using inspection, crash, and investigation data.
The system compares each carrier against others in its peer group, displaying results as percentile rankings or prioritization indicators. A carrier in the 80th percentile for a particular safety category has worse performance than about 80% of carriers in its peer group. The higher the percentile, the greater the concern about that carrier's safety performance in that area.
When certain thresholds are reached, FMCSA may display a symbol indicating the carrier is prioritized for monitoring or intervention. That symbol is not a safety rating.
The FMCSA states that SMS data is designed to prioritize carriers for further monitoring and is not a federal safety rating. The agency cautions against drawing conclusions about a carrier's overall safety based solely on SMS displays.
The Seven BASICs That Drive SMS Measurements
The FMCSA tracks violations across seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs):
- Unsafe driving. Violations recorded on roadside inspection reports include speeding, reckless operation, improper lane changes, and texting while driving.
- Hours of service compliance. When companies pressure drivers to falsify logs, hours of service violations accumulate here.
- Driver fitness. This covers hiring unqualified drivers or ignoring disqualifying medical conditions under 49 CFR § 391.
- Controlled substances/alcohol. Drug and alcohol testing violations include failure to conduct required tests, reporting failures, and other compliance failures.
- Vehicle maintenance. Brake failures and tire blowouts from deferred maintenance are among the most common violations of inspection requirements.
- Hazardous materials compliance. For carriers hauling hazmat, this measures compliance with safety requirements.
- Crash indicator. This BASIC reflects crash performance using reported data within SMS's scoring methodology.
How CSA Data Strengthens Virginia Truck Accident Claims
When you file a truck accident lawsuit in Virginia, CSA/SMS information can provide context about a carrier's safety practices and compliance history. The underlying violations and patterns can help support negligence claims when combined with other evidence.
Establish a Pattern of Violations
Virginia courts recognize that repeated similar conduct can demonstrate habit or routine practice. High SMS percentiles, especially across multiple BASICs, may indicate systematic safety problems rather than isolated mistakes.
Support Notice and Knowledge Arguments
Virginia law permits punitive damages when conduct demonstrates "willful and wanton negligence" or "conscious disregard" for others' rights. CSA data, particularly when combined with FMCSA warning letters and compliance reviews, may help support arguments that a carrier had notice of ongoing safety problems and chose not to address them.
Counter Defense Narratives
Insurance defense attorneys claim accidents result from "isolated" driver mistakes rather than company failures. CSA data counters that narrative. When defense counsel argues that a single logbook violation doesn't prove anything, your lawyer might respond with data showing the carrier performs worse than most of its peers for hours-of-service compliance.
What Virginia Truck Accident Victims Should Do With CSA Data
Understanding how CSA/SMS works matters, but taking immediate action to preserve and obtain this evidence matters more.
Access the Data Immediately
Visit the FMCSA's SMS website. You'll need the carrier's DOT number from the truck's placard or the police crash report. The public SMS property carrier display will show percentile rankings for some BASICs and "Not Public" status for others.
Screenshot and save everything. SMS data updates monthly during a defined processing window, and carriers can challenge violations. Successful challenges can result in violations being removed from the system, which changes percentiles. What you see today may look different next month after data review and corrections.
Request Specific Records in Discovery
To connect SMS percentiles to your specific crash, you'll need the underlying documentation:
- Individual inspection reports
- Electronic Logging Device (ELD) data
- Maintenance records
- Driver qualification file
- Company safety policies and audit results
- Prior crash register
- Post-accident drug and alcohol testing documentation
This documentation transforms abstract percentiles into concrete proof that this company's documented pattern of violations contributed to your injuries.
How Richmond Truck Accident Lawyers Use CSA Evidence
At the Mottley Law Firm, we immediately send spoliation letters demanding that the trucking company preserve all records relevant to their SMS scores. Companies frequently "lose" damaging evidence if you don't lock it down immediately.
We request the carrier's complete SMS history going back 24 months, not just current scores. Watching percentiles climb over time, like moving from the 60th to the 75th to 88th percentile, demonstrates that the company knew problems were worsening and chose not to address them.
Most importantly, we connect the dots between SMS measurements and your specific crash. If Vehicle Maintenance percentiles are high, we hire mechanical engineers to inspect the truck and document deferred repairs. If Hours of Service scores raise flags, we examine ELD data to prove the driver exceeded limits. This transforms percentiles from statistics into proof.