Unsafe Driving Violations
Speeding, reckless driving, texting, seatbelt — the CSA BASIC most-correlated with future crash risk.
What this BASIC means
The Unsafe Driving BASIC tracks driver behavior violations: speeding, reckless driving, lane changes, following too close, improper passing, texting/handheld phone use, and seatbelt. FMCSA's research shows this BASIC has the strongest correlation with future crash risk — a carrier above the 65th percentile here is 2-3× more likely to be in a fatal crash within 24 months. CSA threshold is the 65th percentile for general freight, 50th for hazmat and passenger. Once you cross, FMCSA can issue a Warning Letter, Off-Site Investigation, or Compliance Review.
Overview
The Unsafe Driving BASIC tracks driver behavior violations: speeding, reckless driving, lane changes, following too close, improper passing, texting/handheld phone use, and seatbelt. FMCSA's research shows this BASIC has the strongest correlation with future crash risk — a carrier above the 65th percentile here is 2-3× more likely to be in a fatal crash within 24 months. CSA threshold is the 65th percentile for general freight, 50th for hazmat and passenger. Once you cross, FMCSA can issue a Warning Letter, Off-Site Investigation, or Compliance Review.
Top violations in this BASIC
The single most-cited violation across all carriers is 392.2-SLLS2 (speeding 6-10 mph over limit) — adds 4 SMS points per citation. Other common ones: 392.16 (seatbelt, 7 points), 392.80 (texting, 10 points + immediate disqualification), and 392.82 (handheld phone, 10 points).
How to lower your Unsafe Driving BASIC
ECM speed limiter (cap at 65-68 mph fleet-wide), dashcam telematics with driver scoring (Lytx, Samsara, Motive, Netradyne), pre-employment behavior screening via MVR pull, written progressive discipline policy with documented coaching, and never dispatching loads with windows that force speeding. Carriers that run all four typically drop from 50th percentile to under 30th within 12 months.