SMS

What Is the Safety Measurement System?

 Within the CSA 2010 Operational Model, the Safety Measurement System (SMS) quantifies the on-road safety performance of carriers and drivers to identify candidates for interventions, to determine the specific safety problems exhibited by a carrier or driver, and to monitor whether safety problems are improving or getting worse. SMS replaces SafeStat in the new operational model. Safety related violations found at the roadside are at the foundation of CSA 2010’s new measurement system.

 

Safety event data attributed to an entity are classified in two manners:

Carrier Safety Measurement System (CSMS)

This includes 24 months of carrier on road safety performance. 

Driver Safety Measurement System (DSMS)

This includes 36 months of driver on road performance. 

 

The Carrier SMS uses a motor carrier’s data, while the Driver SMS uses a driver’s data, from roadside inspections, including all safety-based violations, State-reported crashes, and the federal motor carrier census to quantify performance in the following Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASICS):

 Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs)

 Unsafe Driving: Operation of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) by drivers in a    dangerous or careless manner.

Fatigued Driving (hours of Service): Operation of CMVs by drivers who are ill, fatigued, or in noncompliance with the Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations. This BASIC includes violations of regulations pertaining to logbooks as they relate to HOS requirements and the management of CMV driver fatigue.

Driver Fitness: operation of CMVs by drivers who are unfit to operate a CMV due to lack of training, experience, or medical qualifications.

 Controlled Substances/Alcohol: Operation of CMVs by drivers who are impaired due to alcohol, illegal drugs, and misuse of prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Vehicle Maintenance: CMV failure due to improper or inadequate maintenance.

Cargo-Related: CMV incident resulting form shifting loads, spilled or dropped cargo, and unsafe handling of hazardous materials.

Crash Indicator: Histories or patterns of high crash involvement, including frequency and severity. It is based on information from State-reported crashes.

The safety events are sorted according to each BASIC, with the information converted into BASIC data so a quantifiable measurement can be attained. Based on each BASIC measure, a percentile ranking is developed by comparing each entity’s BASIC performance to like sized fleets or number of inspections.