An accident register must be kept, showing all DOT recordable accidents (described above). Form 6.1 “Accident Register”, may be used for this purpose. For accidents that occur after April 29, 2003, motor carriers must keep a register for three years after the date of each accident. A carrier may use its own accident register or a pre-printed form, as long as all of the following information is included:
- Date of the accident.
- City or town in which, or most near where the accident occurred and the state in which the accident occurred.
- Driver’s name.
- The number of injuries.
- The number of fatalities.
- Whether hazardous materials (other than fuel spilled from the fuel tanks of vehicles involved in the accident) were released.
It is at the carrier’s discretion to include more information (but not less). It is also at the carrier’s discretion to list even those accidents that are non-recordable.
Tip: With the introduction of the accident register requirement, there are no longer any DOT requirements for reporting the accident to DOT. That is why these accidents are now referred to as “DOT Recordable”, as opposed to the former “DOT Reportable”
