The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is teaming up with state partners to introduce Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA) in order to reduce commercial vehicle crashes, fatalities and injuries on our highways.  This new safety model is designed to enable FMCSA and its State Partners to contact carriers earlier to address safety issues before crashes occur.  This program will begin to roll out on December 5, 2010.

The Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories, or BASICs, are seven categories of safety behaviors measured in the Safety Measurement System (SMS).  The BASICs represent behaviors that may lead to crashes.  The seven BASIC scoring categories are:

• Unsafe Driving – Dangerous or careless operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).  Data includes driver traffic violations and convictions for speeding, reckless driving, improper lane change, inattention and other unsafe behavior.

• Fatigued Driving – Driving a CMV when fatigued.  This is distinguished from incidents where unconsciousness or an inability to react is brought about by the use of alcohol, drugs, or other controlled substances.  Data includes (1) hours-of-service violations discovered during an off-site investigation, on-site investigation, roadside inspection, or post-crash inspection, and (2) crash reports with driver fatigue as a contributing factor.

• Driver Fitness – Operation of a CMV by drivers who are unfit to operate a CMV due to lack of training, experience, or medical qualification.  Data includes (1) inspection violations for failure to have a valid and appropriate commercial driver’s license or medical or training documentation, (2) crash reports citing a lack of experience or medical reason as a cause or contributory factor, (3) positive drug or alcohol test results on drivers, and (4) lack of appropriate testing or other deficiencies in motor carrier controlled substances and alcohol testing programs.

• Drugs/Alcohol – Operation of a CMV while impaired due to alcohol, illegal drugs, and misuse of prescription medications or over-the-counter medications.  Data includes (1) roadside violations involving controlled substances or alcohol, (2) crash reports citing driver impairment or intoxication as a cause, (3) positive drug or alcohol test results on drivers, and (4) lack of appropriate testing or other deficiencies in motor carrier controlled substances and alcohol testing programs.

• Vehicle Maintenance – CMV failure due to improper or inadequate maintenance.  Data includes (1) roadside violations for brakes, lights, and other mechanical defects, (2) crash reports citing a mechanical failure as a contributing factor, and (3) violations from an off-site investigation or an on-site investigation associated with pre-trip inspections, maintenance records, and repair records.

• Cargo-Related – Shifting loads, spilled or dropped cargo, and unsafe handling of hazardous materials.  Data includes (1) roadside inspection violations pertaining to load securement, cargo retention, and hazardous material handling, and (2) crash reports citing shifting loads, or spilled/dropped cargo as a cause or contributing factor.

• Crash Indicator – Histories or patterns of high crash involvement, including frequency and severity.  Data includes law enforcement crash reports and crashes presorted by the carrier and discovered during on-site investigations.

A carrier’s measurement for each BASIC depends on:

• The number of adverse safety events (violations related to that BASIC or crashes)

• The severity of violations or crashes

• When the adverse safety events occurred (more recent events are weighted more heavily).

After a measurement is determined, the carrier is then placed in a peer group (e.g., other carriers with similar numbers of inspections). Percentiles from 0 to 100 are then determined by comparing the BASIC measurements of the carrier to the measurements of other carriers in the peer group. 100 indicates the worst performance.

For a more in-depth look at the BASIC scoring view the Comprehensive Scoring Analysis for CSA.