Vehicle markings and photographs can preserve information, but they do not independently identify the responsible carrier, establish responsibility, or determine a claim outcome.

Record what is shown and where

  • Vehicle, trailer, plate, unit, container, logo, USDOT, and other marking information shown in a photograph, report, or other source
  • Date, time, location, photographer or device if known, original file, and whether an image shows the full marking or only part of it
  • A distinction between a marking observed directly and a name or relationship reported by another person or document
  • Missing, blurred, changed, or uncertain information left unresolved rather than supplied from an assumption

Do not infer the carrier from one marking

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s carrier-identity guide explains that information displayed on a vehicle may not identify the motor carrier responsible for a movement or load.

Questions arising from a commercial-vehicle crash may be considered in a North Carolina trucking-accident claim, which requires a fact-specific review.

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