What changed
FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS) is partway through a long-running update. In a November 20, 2024 notice (89 FR 91874), FMCSA announced enhancements first proposed in February 2023 (88 FR 9954): reorganized safety categories (now "compliance categories"), consolidated violations, simplified violation severity weights, proportionate percentiles, improved intervention thresholds, a greater focus on recent violations, and an updated utilization factor. FMCSA has told carriers to keep using the current SMS website until the updated system is in effect.
The Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP) is not new - FMCSA made it permanent in 2020 (85 FR 27017) after a demonstration program that began in 2017, and expanded the eligible crash types to 21 for crashes on or after December 1, 2024 (89 FR 96269). Crashes found "Not Preventable" are not included in the Crash Indicator BASIC calculation; "Preventable" and "Undecided" crashes still count.
Simplified severity weights
Under the announced methodology, the current 1-to-10 violation severity weights are replaced by a simplified weight of 1 or 2 (89 FR 91874). Until FMCSA puts the new methodology into effect, the current SMS severity weights continue to apply.
How to use preventability
Submit a CPDP request through DataQs (dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov). Include the police accident report and supporting documents such as video, photos, or court records - the burden is on the submitter to show the crash is eligible and not preventable. For a crash involving a fatality, include the post-accident drug and alcohol test results or the required explanation of why tests were not completed (89 FR 96269).
A Not Preventable determination removes the crash from the Crash Indicator BASIC calculation. The crash still appears on the public SMS website in a separate table, and the determination is noted on the driver's PSP record.
What to do next
The Crash Indicator BASIC uses crashes from the previous 24 months. Review those crashes against the eligible CPDP crash types - for example, struck in the rear, struck while legally stopped or parked, struck by a wrong-way or impaired driver, debris such as fallen rock or trees, infrastructure failure, or an animal strike. File requests for any crash with a clear non-preventable narrative. Our /guides/csa-scores-and-oos-rate page covers the SMS framework in detail.
Sources: Federal Register, 89 FR 91874 (November 20, 2024): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/11/20/2024-27087/enhanced-carrier-safety-measurement-system-sms ; 89 FR 96269 (December 4, 2024): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/04/2024-28377/crash-preventability-determination-program