• Federal and state or local governments have several requirements for CMV accident reporting, but not for investigating.

The laws and regulations governing commercial motor vehicle (CMV) accidents include:

• Federal accident recordkeeping (accident register) requirements in 390.15;
• Federal post-accident drug and alcohol testing requirements in 382.303;
• Federal accident reporting requirements when hazardous materials, substances, or wastes are involved, in Part 171; and
• State and/or local accident reporting requirements regulated by those jurisdictions.

Note that there are no requirements for motor carriers to investigate accidents.

Exemptions from the federal accident recordkeeping requirements may be found in 390.3(f).

Note: Many years ago, the U.S. Department of Transportation required certain CMV accidents to be reported to the federal government. Today, federal regulations do not require accident reporting except for certain incidents involving hazardous materials.