FMCSA Announces Plans for New Truck Crash Causation Study in 2026

While national research may guide policy, individual truck accident cases still demand immediate action

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is addressing the root cause of truck accidents with a new data collection plan that hopes to explain why the deadliest heavy truck crashes happen in the first place.

The focus is on a national Heavy-Duty Truck Study, zeroing in on fatal crashes involving Class 7 and 8 trucks. The notice opened on August 28, 2025. The comment window runs through October 27.

What is the truck crash causation study about?

Congress set the stage for this effort in two steps. First, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provided funding for a large truck crash study. Then, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act required a comprehensive look at commercial motor vehicle crash causation. FMCSA stood up the Crash Causal Factors Program (CCFP) to deliver on that mandate.

The goal is to identify causes and contributing factors with enough clarity to shape smarter policies, guide enforcement, and prevent deaths.

The study will unfold over two years with a target start in early 2026. The FMCSA plans to release partial findings along the way and a final report with an anonymized, aggregate database at the end.

How will the study collect and manage the data?

State and federal MCSAP personnel already use SafeSpect to upload inspection and investigation data. The new CCFP module adds crash depth that the current tools don’t capture. States in the study will submit four main streams:

• An Initial Incident Form completed by a state MCSAP CMV inspector within 24 to 48 hours after a qualifying fatal crash
• Police crash report data ingested from each state’s own repository, with automation encouraged and manual uploads available through a designated CMV data analyst
• Post-crash investigation files, either entered directly in SafeSpect or uploaded as PDFs
• Reconstruction materials such as reports, diagrams, and photographs, coded and uploaded by the CMV data analyst

Additionally, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics will conduct confidential interviews with individuals and companies involved in crashes. Those interviews will be protected under federal confidentiality laws. That piece gives context to the paperwork and fills gaps that structured fields can’t catch.

FMCSA is working to automate as much as states will allow. Some will use application programming interfaces to move data from their systems to SafeSpect. Others will need a manual path at first.

Who is participating, and how big is the lift?

The target is a nationally representative sample of at least 2,000 fatal crashes involving heavy-duty trucks. To get there with confidence, FMCSA set a working target of up to 3,333 fatal crashes. The larger number builds in a safety margin, so the final dataset is strong after quality checks.

Thirty states make up the core sample. FMCSA selected them based on three criteria. Investigative capability, the frequency of state-investigated crashes, and geographic diversity. Non-sample states are welcome to contribute. Based on typical volumes, FMCSA expects up to 750 fatal crashes from those partners during the two-year period. If a state is willing and able, the collection may also accept a convenience sample of serious injury crashes. Fatal crashes remain the center of attention.

The FMCSA has mapped out four courses that add up to 91 hours. ANSI D.16 and FARS awareness at 22 hours. CCFP data coding and entry at 28 hours. A one-hour MCSAP CMV inspector webinar. A 40-hour post-crash investigation course. Across the 30 sample states, FMCSA projects 420 total trainees. From non-sample states, they expect about 65.

Over two years, sample states are projected at 46,662 data collection hours and 4,200 training hours. Non-sample states add roughly 10,500 data collection hours and 500 training hours. Those figures are ceilings to make sure the public has a clear view of the maximum plausible lift.

How could this study impact road safety?

If this study is done well, the safety payoff is real. By standardizing early incident reporting, consolidating police, post-crash, and reconstruction records into one place, and incorporating confidential interviews, it can transform scattered facts into clear signals that prevent deaths. Here’s how:

• Spot risk patterns that matter, then focus enforcement and outreach where crashes cluster
• Build driver training around real pre-crash sequences, not guesses
• Back roadway fixes with evidence on sight lines, geometry, and signal timing
• Choose technology based on which features change outcomes in common scenarios
• Reduce miscoding with one early incident form and defined analyst roles across states
• Learn faster through interim findings so agencies and carriers can adjust midstream
• Use a national sample to separate local quirks from true trends

What are the common causes of truck accidents?

At Dean Waite & Associates, LLC, our Alabama truck accident lawyers have seen firsthand how truck driver and trucking company negligence can result in devastating tractor-trailer wrecks. Some of the most common causes of these accidents include:

• Driver fatigue due to long hours, night runs, and poor sleep, which impairs reaction time and judgment.
• Distraction with phones, in-cab systems, food, or map checks. This pulls eyes and attention off the road.
• Speeding too fast for traffic or conditions, which increases stopping distance and crash severity.
• Following too closely, which reduces stopping time and distance.
• Impairment from alcohol, drugs, certain meds, or untreated medical issues, which reduces control.
• Improper lane changes due to blind spot conflicts or missed mirror checks during merges and passes.
• Wide turns with poor gap assessment at intersections.
• Cargo problems such as overloaded, unbalanced, or poorly secured freight, which often lead to rollovers or lost loads.
• Equipment failure, such as worn brakes, tires, or lights, which limits control or visibility.

These types of crashes rarely happen by chance. In most cases, the root cause traces back to a preventable decision or failure, either by the truck driver or the trucking company.

When massive commercial vehicles are involved, even one small lapse in judgment or safety protocol can lead to catastrophic injuries or fatalities.

That’s why identifying the true cause of a truck crash is so critical. It gives victims and their families the foundation they need to pursue full accountability and financial compensation.

Injured in an Alabama truck accident? Make the call that matters.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an Alabama truck accident, don’t try to handle the aftermath alone. Put Dean Waite and his dedicated legal team on your side. We move fast to gather evidence before trucking companies try to hide or destroy it.

We also contact witnesses and protect your claim while you focus on getting better. Our law firm proudly serves clients in Mobile and Baldwin County and across Alabama, including Prichard, Saraland, Daphne, and Fairhope.

We would be glad to listen to your story and explain your potential legal options during a free consultation. You also don’t pay any money up front for our legal services. That’s because we work on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t get paid unless we win your case.

To get started, give us a call or contact us online to request a free case evaluation. We’ll take it from there and fight for the results you deserve. Don’t hesitate…call Dean Waite!

“I contacted Dean and Chase to handle my case. From the first meeting, they provided peace of mind. Along with their staff, Dean and Chase were very informative and handled my case efficiently and professionally. Would highly recommend this firm to represent you with your legal matters.” – T.H., ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐