The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has expanded the circumstances under which carriers can request the removal of non-preventable crashes from their safety records. While the change gives fleets more opportunities to challenge certain crash determinations, it also reinforces an existing requirement.
Carriers must submit documentation.
According to an article published by Heavy Duty Trucking and reported on TruckingInfo, carriers requesting a crash review must provide a police accident report along with any available supporting documents, which may include photographs or video. Eligibility has expanded, but the review process still depends on what can be submitted and evaluated.
That puts renewed emphasis on how incidents are captured and explained.
FMCSA Non-Preventable Crash Reviews Depend on Documentation
The expanded review eligibility includes crashes involving wrong-way drivers, legally parked vehicles, and other scenarios where another party clearly caused the incident. While more crash types may now qualify for review, removal is not automatic.
The review process is driven by documentation.
Police reports and witness statements remain foundational, but they often have limitations. Reports may arrive late, lack clarity, or omit details about how an incident unfolded. In many cases, key moments occur outside the written narrative.
That gap makes it harder to establish context.
Forward-Facing Cameras Do Not Capture Every Incident
Forward-facing cameras have become standard across many fleet vehicle telematics and provide valuable insight into events ahead of a commercial vehicle. However, many non-preventable crashes do not occur within that narrow field of view.
Side impacts, lane-change collisions, trailer strikes, and intersection incidents frequently originate alongside or behind the vehicle. When those angles are not captured, supporting materials may still leave unanswered questions.
Unanswered questions complicate crash reviews.
How Expanded Camera Views Support Crash Documentation
Multi-camera systems that include side and rear views can provide additional supporting material when an incident is reviewed. Video can show where contact occurred, how traffic moved around the vehicle, and what the driver could reasonably see at the time.
Police reports describe outcomes. Video shows sequence.
In our opinion, video is often the strongest form of supporting material a fleet can provide. It does not replace required documentation, but it can reinforce written records by adding visual context that words and diagrams cannot convey.
Where Convoy Fits Into Expanded Vehicle Visibility
This is the environment in which Convoy Technologies designs its vehicle camera systems.
Convoy focuses on expanding visibility around the vehicle rather than relying solely on forward-facing coverage. By allowing fleets to configure camera placement based on vehicle type and operating conditions, Convoy systems are designed to reduce blind spots and capture angles that may matter during post-incident review.
When video is available, it can be included alongside police reports and other documentation as part of a crash review submission.
Expanded Camera Coverage Also Helps Prevent Incidents
Improved visibility does not only matter after a crash.
Drivers with better situational awareness are better equipped to navigate lane changes, turns, and congested environments. Expanded camera views can help reduce side-impact and blind-spot collisions, which are among the most difficult incidents to explain after the fact.
Fewer incidents reduce the need for review altogether.
Why Documentation Is Becoming More Important for Fleets
The FMCSA’s expanded non-preventable crash review options highlight a broader reality. Fleets are increasingly expected to clearly document what happened using the materials available to them.
Police reports remain essential. Supporting documents help. In our view, video provides the most complete context.
As expectations around documentation grow, fleets that invest in broader vehicle visibility are better prepared to respond when incidents occur and questions arise.
Expanded camera views are no longer just a safety consideration. They are increasingly part of how incidents are explained and understood. As a telematics fleet company, please reach out with any questions you have and please explore our solutions today.
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Source
Motor Carriers Get More Options to Get Non-Preventable Crashes Removed From SAFE Heavy Duty Trucking / TruckingInfo https://www.truckinginfo.com/news/motor-carriers-get-more-options-to-get-non-preventable-crashes-removed-from-safe
