We highly recommend that accurate and adequate records be kept concerning accidents. Complete accident records is a vital tool in the prevention of similar accidents; thereby, reducing your overall accident and insurance costs. An accident is DOT recordable, and records must be kept, if one or more of the following results from the accident:
- Death of a human being.
- Injury requiring immediate medical treatment away from the scene.
- One or more vehicles must be towed from the scene, due to disabling damage as a result of the accident.
NOTE: DOT has clarified that an accident is “recordable” if it occurs on private property and the property is “open to public travel”.
Tip: In general, FMCSA considers the following ungated facilities to be open to public travel: customer parking lots, garages, and access roads to malls, stadiums, etc. However, gated parking lots, garages, etc. are not open to public travel.
