Some acronyms are catchier than others. Take this one, for instance: UDFDDFDAVMCRCI.

Yeah. That stands for the 7 ways the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration categorizes unsafe driving. No wonder the FMCSA calls its Compliance, Safety, and Accountability classification system the “BASICs”: Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories.

But while “BASICs” might be easier to say than “ud-fudd-fudd-av-mc-ricky”, there’s unfortunately no corresponding mnemonic device. Do you know what the FMCSA is looking out for? The CSA BASICs are as follows:

• Unsafe Driving
• Fatigued Driving
• Driver Fitness
• Drugs and Alcohol
• Vehicle Maintenance
• Cargo-Related
• Crash Indicator

Like I said: UDFDDFAVMCRCI. Or maybe this is easier to remember: “Usually, Dogs Find Dark Dens Favorable, Although Vipers Might Creep ‘Round Concurrently. Ick!” Okay, it’s a work in progress. Probably better to just keep “BASICs” in your mind for now.

Learn more about the 7 CSA BASICs at dot-compliance-help.com.

For more information about federal transportation regulations—and more “fun” with acronyms—check out KPA’s resources for trucking compliance.