Accident Register Checklist

Quick checklist

Keep a current accident register for all crashes that meet the FMCSR definition under 49 CFR 390.5 and 390.15.
After any crash, check whether it meets the threshold: injury requiring immediate off-scene medical treatment, fatality, or one or more vehicles disabled and removed by tow.
Enter date, location (city or nearest city and state), driver name, number of injuries, number of fatalities, and hazardous materials release indicator within a reasonable time of the event.
Save copies of police reports, state agency reports, and insurance correspondence in the supporting file for each crash entry.
Document post-accident drug and alcohol testing actions and link them to the crash register entry.
Compare the register to dispatch records, insurance claims, and driver incident reports at least annually to catch entries that were discussed but never logged.

Why this matters

Under 49 CFR 390.15, motor carriers must maintain an accident register for qualifying crashes and must make it available to FMCSA or authorized state personnel on request. The register must be retained for three years after each accident. During a compliance review, examiners use the accident register to cross-check other records: they will look for a post-accident drug and alcohol test for each qualifying crash where testing was required under 49 CFR 382.303, and they may ask for the police report or driver statement on file. A register with blank entries or missing supporting documents raises questions about whether follow-up actions were actually taken.

What to prepare

Area	Records to gather
Threshold check	Injury requiring immediate medical treatment away from the scene — not injuries treated only at the scene Fatality involving any person One or more vehicles disabled and transported away from the scene by tow truck or another vehicle Hazardous materials release indicator when applicable
Required register fields (49 CFR 390.15)	Date of accident City, or nearest city, and state where accident occurred Driver name Number of injuries Number of fatalities Whether hazardous materials, other than fuel spilled from the fuel tanks of a motor vehicle involved in the accident, were released
Supporting file per crash entry	Police report or state agency report where available Insurance claim or correspondence reference Driver statement or incident report Post-accident drug and alcohol test results if testing was required under 49 CFR 382.303 Corrective action notes or follow-up record Cross-reference to the ELD or HOS record for the driving period

Common gaps

A tow-away crash was discussed in a dispatch email and insurance claim but was never entered in the formal accident register.
The register lists the crash date but omits injury or fatality counts, leaving blank fields that look like incomplete records.
Post-accident drug and alcohol test records are saved in the TPA portal but were never cross-referenced in the crash supporting file.
Corrective actions were discussed after the crash but were not documented anywhere in writing.

Before / During / After audit

Before

Compare the accident register to insurance claim files, dispatch notes, and driver incident reports.
Update missing fields and collect state reports where available.
Confirm post-accident testing records are cross-referenced in the register support file.

During

Provide the register first, then the supporting file for each entry.
Explain follow-up actions using the saved documents, not verbal summaries.

After

Add a crash intake checklist to the dispatch routine so new events are entered within 24 hours.
Review register entries against insurance and dispatch records monthly.
Keep accident documents in a dedicated folder by crash date.

FAQ

Does every vehicle accident need to go in the accident register?

The federal accident register under 49 CFR 390.15 covers only crashes that meet the specific definition in 49 CFR 390.5: a fatality, an injury requiring immediate off-scene medical treatment, or a vehicle disabled and removed by tow. A minor collision without a tow or off-scene injury does not qualify. The common confusion comes from using 'accident' loosely in dispatch or insurance communications for any collision regardless of severity. Carriers should still document incidents that do not meet the federal threshold — insurance purposes make that worthwhile — but those entries do not belong in the 390.15 accident register.

When is post-accident drug and alcohol testing required?

Fatal crashes always require post-accident drug and alcohol testing for all surviving drivers involved. For non-fatal crashes, 49 CFR 382.303 applies when two conditions are both present: the crash involved a recordable injury or a tow-away, and the driver received a citation for a moving traffic violation arising from the accident. The time windows are tight — alcohol testing must occur within 8 hours, drug testing within 32 hours. If testing cannot be completed within the window, the carrier must document why. A driver cannot refuse post-accident testing and continue driving — refusal is treated as a positive result.

How long must the accident register be kept?

Three years from the accident date is the required retention period for the accident register under 49 CFR 390.15(b)(2). The regulation covers the register itself — the log entries with dates, locations, driver names, and injury and fatality counts. The supporting documents attached to each entry, like police reports, post-accident test results, and corrective action records, are not separately mandated to the same period, but keeping them for three years is practical because an examiner reviewing the register will ask about the underlying event. A register entry with no supporting file is harder to explain than one with a complete packet.

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Sources

eCFR · regulation

49 CFR 390.15 - Assistance in investigations and special studies

Accident register information and related recordkeeping.

Last checked: 2026-06-16