A post-accident protocol assigns responsibility and sequences the required steps: notification, scene documentation, driver interview and testing, vehicle sequestration, data preservation, vendor notification, and regulatory reporting.
It also defines the severity thresholds that trigger escalation to counsel and rapid response deployment.
Alternative Names:
Crash Investigation Protocol, Post-Crash Protocol
Why it Matters?
The protocol is discoverable, and it will be compared against what actually happened. A written procedure that the carrier failed to follow is worse than having no procedure, because it establishes the carrier knew what reasonable care required and did not deliver it. Conversely, a documented protocol followed carefully is strong evidence of a functioning safety program.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Is the post-accident protocol discoverable?
What does a strong protocol include?
