{"id":353129,"date":"2016-12-07T15:47:27","date_gmt":"2016-12-07T20:47:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/car-accidents\/what-is-a-dot-recordable-accident.html"},"modified":"2023-10-05T11:00:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T16:00:41","slug":"what-is-a-dot-recordable-accident","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/car-accidents\/what-is-a-dot-recordable-accident.html","title":{"rendered":"What Is a DOT-Recordable Accident?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What Is a DOT-Recordable Accident?<\/h1>\n
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\n By Ty McDuffey, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Katrina Wilson, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

When we hear the term car accident or truck accident, many different scenes might come to mind. Not all vehicle accidents are treated the same, especially by the government. In some cases, there is a special kind of accident: the DOT-recordable accident.<\/p>\r\n

The Basics of a DOT-Recordable Accident<\/h2>\r\n

The Department of Transportation (DOT)<\/a> is a part of the U.S. government that makes rules for roads and vehicles. One of the DOT’s branches is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)<\/a>. This group watches over large vehicles, like trucks, especially if they carry hazardous materials.<\/p>\r\n

A DOT reportable accident involves a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). A CMV can be any big vehicle used for business, such as large trucks or buses. The FMCSA says an accident is recordable if certain things happen:<\/p>\r\n