The importance of safety in trucking can’t be overstated. Your life and the lives of others depend on your ability to safely get from Point A to Point B or anywhere else you may travel. Safety records, like your SMS or SAFER scores, help measure adherence to important safety practices. These scores provide an important snapshot into your safety record and can have a big impact on your insurance rates.
SMS vs. SAFER
SMS stands for Safety Measurement System. It is an on-road safety and performance measurement system utilized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The system was designed to change and adapt as new technologies and measurement guides are established. It is updated regularly (keep updated about any changes by checking the FMCSA website).
SAFER stands for Safety and Fitness Electronic Records and is a system that provides safety information to both the trucking industry and the public online. You can search company safety snapshots free of charge using a company name, DOT number or MC number. Snapshots provide basic information about inspections, violations and crashes. More detailed information is available for a free by requesting a SAFER company profile.
How Are Scores Determined?
Both SMS and SAFER measure and report safety violations, but they do so a little differently. For example you are able to access a great deal of information about motor carriers and their violations for free using the SMS search option. You can find out not only how many violations are on a record, but also the specifics of these violations. SMS rates violations by severity. A parking violation might carry a weight of one while a more serious violation like inadequate brakes will be more serious. On the other hand SAFER only provides basic information in its free carrier snapshots.
Any time a violation is reported it leaves a negative mark on your record that can be seen by potential clients, employers, insurers, etc. Safer drivers are more appealing and a smaller risk and in turn will typically receive lower rates on insurance. Too many violations can result in penalties, fines and investigations.
SMS reports include information in a variety of BASIC categories including:
· Unsafe Driving
· Hours of Service Compliance
· Driver Fitness
· Controlled Substances and Alcohol
· Vehicle Maintenance
· Hazardous Materials Compliance
· Crashes
How to Check Your Score
Knowing what your reports look like is essential to protecting your safety reputation. Motor carriers should regularly check their reports for accuracy. Keeping safety on your mind and striving to have a clean safety record will help you to improve your driving and possibly even lower your insurance rates. You can check your scores online from the FMCSA website. Check SAFER reports here and SMS reports here.
Correcting Errors
As you check your reports look for errors. The SMS results are based on state reported crash and inspection data. If you find an error you can report it using a portal known as DataQs. You can report errors or concerns for investigation.
Here at Western Truck Insurance Services we want you to Travel with Care and that means driving safely. Not only will safe driving help you save money on your insurance, it will also help you to make it home safely after a long journey on the road. Keep checking back and future posts will teach you some tips for improving your safety scores.