Unsafe Driving
The FMCSA BASIC category covering driver behavior at the wheel. Speeding, reckless driving, improper lane change, following too close, failure to yield, traffic signal violations, texting and mobile phone use while driving, and the driver-side conduct that contributes most directly to crashes.
Why it matters
Unsafe Driving is the BASIC most directly correlated with crash involvement. A carrier reading high in Unsafe Driving is showing — at the roadside, where law enforcement is observing — that its drivers are being caught at behaviors that produce crashes. Federal enforcement, insurance underwriters, and contract freight procurement all read Unsafe Driving percentile as a primary signal.
Where it appears in a ProHRHQ carrier page
The Safety record table shows the carrier's three-year weighted Unsafe Driving score against cohort. The Inspection and violation record shows total Unsafe Driving violations in the three-year window.
What counts, and how it is weighted
The Unsafe Driving BASIC counts moving violations recorded at roadside inspections: speeding, reckless driving, improper lane changes, following too closely, failing to obey traffic control devices, and texting or using a hand-held phone while driving. Each violation carries a severity weight, and newer violations count more than older ones: those in the last six months weigh three times as much as those from the second year. The measure is then normalised by the carrier's size, so a small fleet with a few recent speeding violations can score worse than a large fleet with many older ones. Speeding is recorded in bands, such as 6 to 10, 11 to 14, and 15 or more miles per hour over the limit, and the higher bands carry more weight. For recruiting, a high Unsafe Driving score raises questions about the pressure drivers are under to make appointments.
Related terms
Unsafe Driving violation codes and severity weights are public on the FMCSA SMS website.