How Do MVR Violations Affect CSA Scores
Having drivers with clean records is vital for your business. But did you know that Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) violations can heavily impact your Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) score? Understanding this connection is crucial for maintaining regulatory compliance and safeguarding your business reputation.
What are CSA scores?
Let’s start by understanding the basics of CSA scores, their importance, and how they are calculated.
CSA scores are designed to measure the safety performance of commercial motor carriers and drivers. These scores help the FMCSA identify carriers and drivers with safety performance problems and prioritize them for interventions. The overall score is calculated on a 0-100 scale, with higher numbers indicating a worse level of safety.
The scores are based on data collected from roadside inspections, crash reports, and investigations. These are then assigned into seven Behavioral Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs):
- Unsafe Driving: Includes behaviors such as speeding, reckless driving, improper lane changes, and inattention.
- Crash Indicator: Focuses on historical crash data involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).
- Hours-of-Service (HOS) Compliance: Assesses compliance with HOS regulations, including driving and on-duty limits.
- Vehicle Maintenance: Evaluates the mechanical condition and maintenance of CMVs.
- Controlled Substances/Alcohol: Addresses violations related to alcohol or drug use by drivers.
- Driver Fitness: Covers violations such as improper licensing, medical qualifications, and failure to wear seat belts.
- Hazardous Materials (HM) Compliance: Specific to carriers transporting hazardous materials, assessing compliance with regulations governing HM transportation.
How are CSA points assigned?
Each violation holds more “weight” in the CSA points system depending on how severe the violation is on a scale from 1 (least severe) to 10 (most severe). Additionally, there is a time weight associated with violations depending on when they occurred. Violations received less than 6 months ago are assigned 3 points, violations received between 7 and 12 months ago are 2 points, and violations received between 12 and 24 months ago are 1 point. The number of interventions and annual miles driven are also considered when calculating final scores.
The FMCSA has set an intervention threshold for each BASIC category. If a carrier is at or above the threshold, the likelihood of interventions increases.
- Crash Indicator, HOS Compliance, and Unsafe Driving: 65% for general carriers, 50% for passenger carriers, and 60% for hazardous materials carriers
- Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, and Vehicle Maintenance: 80% for general carriers, 65% for passenger carriers, and 75% for hazardous materials carriers
- Hazardous Materials Compliance: 80% for general carriers
Impact of MVR violations on CSA scores
The way your drivers behave and perform on the road has a direct impact on your bottom line and CSA score. Poor driving habits, reflected in MVR violations, can significantly increase your risk of accidents and add points to your overall score. Each infraction increases your company’s risk profile, thereby affecting the CSA score.
MVR violations can have a substantial impact on CSA scores, affecting multiple BASIC categories. Here’s how:
CSA Score: Unsafe Driving SMS Point Value
Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) violations, such as speeding, reckless driving, and DUIs, can severely impact CSA scores by indicating unsafe driving behaviors.
The average fine for violations related to the category is, on average, $6,530.
10 CSA Points
- 390.17DT Operating a CMV while texting
- 392.2R Reckless driving
- 392.2-SLLS4 State/Local Laws – Speeding 15 or more miles per hour over the speed limit
- 392.2-SLLSWZ State/Local Laws – Speeding work/construction zone
- 392.2-SLLT State/Local Laws – Operating a CMV while texting
- 392.80(a) Driving a commercial motor vehicle while Texting 392.82(a)(1) Using a hand-held mobile telephone while operating a CMV
7 CSA Points
- 392.2-SLLS3 State/Local Laws – Speeding 11-14 miles per hour over the speed limit.
- 392.16 Failing to use seat belt while operating a CMV
5 CSA Points
- 392.2C Failure to obey traffic control device
- 392.2FC Following too close
- 392.2-INAT Inattentive Driving
- 392.2LC Improper lane change
- 392.2-ML Failure to Maintain Lane
Read more: Identifying Major vs. Minor Traffic Violations
CSA Score: Driver Fitness SMS Point Value
MVR violations related to licensing issues, such as driving without a valid CDL or medical certificate, negatively impact the Driver Fitness BASIC. This includes suspensions and disqualifications.
10 CSA Points
390.35B-MED Operating a CMV while possessing a fraudulent medical certificate
8 CSA Points
- 383.23(a)(2) Operating a CMV without a CDL
- 383.51A-SIN Driving a CMV while CDL is suspended for a safety-related or unknown reason and in state of driver’s license issuance
- 383.51(a) Driving a CMV while disqualified from holding a CDL
- 391.11B5-DNL Driver does not have a valid operator’s license for the CMV being operated
- 391.11(b)(7) Driver disqualified from operating CMV
- 391.15(a) Driving a CMV while disqualified
5 CSA Points
- 391.15A-SIN Driving a CMV while disqualified. Suspended for safety-related or unknown reason and in the state of drivers license issuance
- 383.51A-NSIN Driving a CMV while CDL is suspended for a non-safety-related reason and in the state of driver’s license issuance
- 383.51A-SOUT Driving a CMV while CDL is suspended for safety-related or unknown reason and outside the state of driver’s license issuance
- 391.15A-NSIN Driving a CMV while disqualified. Suspended for non-safety-related reason and in the state of driver’s license issuance
- 391.15A-SOUT Driving a CMV while disqualified. Suspended for a safety-related or unknown reason and outside the driver’s license state of issuance
CSA Score: Controlled Substances/ Alcohol
Violations related to the use of drugs or alcohol while operating a commercial vehicle have serious implications and directly affect the Controlled Substances/Alcohol BASIC. These violations not only increase the risk of accidents but also demonstrate a clear disregard for safety regulations, contributing substantial points to the CSA score and severely damaging the carrier’s safety profile.
10 CSA Points
- 392.4(a) Driver uses or is in possession of drugs
- 392.4A-POS Driver on duty and in possession of a narcotic drug/amphetamine
- 392.4A-UI Driver on duty and under the influence of, or using a narcotic drug/amphetamine, which renders the driver incapable of safe operation
5 CSA Points
392.5(a) Driver consuming an intoxicating beverage within 4 hours before operating a motor vehicle
CSA Score: Crash Indicator
A history of accidents can escalate the Crash Indicator BASIC. Even minor accidents can accumulate points, indicating a pattern of risky driving behavior.
Check out this CSA score calculation and prioritization example.
*This blog includes some of the violations and assigned points. To get a complete list of violations, visit FMCSA resources.
Why does proactive identification of violations matter?
The more driver violations, the more compromised your CSA score is. A high CSA score not only increases FMCSA interventions and fines but also affects insurance premiums, the relationship with your customers, and your hiring potential.
To effectively manage and mitigate risks, you need to have a clear view of your drivers’ behavior. Compared to just annual checks, MVR Monitoring offers near-real-time updates on any new violations or incidents. This continuous monitoring allows fleet managers to promptly identify patterns of risky behavior such as speeding tickets, DUI offenses, or other violations that could impact the CSA score.
By monitoring MVRs regularly, fleet managers can proactively address issues before they escalate. Prompt action can include driver training or disciplinary measures to correct behavior and prevent future violations. This proactive approach not only helps in maintaining a good CSA score but also reduces the likelihood of accidents and liabilities.
Learn more about how MVR Monitoring can help protect your CSA score. Book a demo or download our guide below.
