PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Protects motor carriers, people who give them safety records, and their agents or insurers from lawsuits for defamation, invasion of privacy, or interfering with a contract when they share or use safety performance records under the federal rules the Secretary issues. They must follow those rules when using or giving records. That includes letting the driver see and comment on the records, taking steps to keep the records private (though insurers may be an allowed exception), using the records only to judge the person’s safety for hiring, and making sure the records are accurate. The protection does not apply to anyone who knowingly gives false information. States cannot make laws that stop or punish sharing or using these records under the federal rules, and written permission is not required to get a job applicant’s driving record.

Title 49, §508

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(a)Limitation on Liability.—

No action or proceeding for defamation, invasion of privacy, or interference with a contract that is based on the furnishing or use of safety performance records in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary may be brought against—

(1)a motor carrier requesting the safety performance records of an individual under consideration for employment as a commercial motor vehicle driver as required by and in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary;

(2)a person who has complied with such a request; or

(3)the agents or insurers of a person described in paragraph (1) or (2).

(b)Restrictions on Applicability.—

(1)Motor carrier requesting.—

Subsection (a) does not apply to a motor carrier requesting safety performance records unless—

(A)the motor carrier and any agents of the motor carrier have complied with the regulations issued by the Secretary in using the records, including the requirement that the individual who is the subject of the records be afforded a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the records;

(B)the motor carrier and any agents and insurers of the motor carrier have taken all precautions reasonably necessary to protect the records from disclosure to any person, except for such an insurer, not directly involved in deciding whether to hire that individual; and

(C)the motor carrier has used those records only to assess the safety performance of the individual who is the subject of those records in deciding whether to hire that individual.

(2)Person complying with requests.—

Subsection (a) does not apply to a person complying with a request for safety performance records unless—

(A)the complying person and any agents of the complying person have taken all precautions reasonably necessary to ensure the accuracy of the records and have complied with the regulations issued by the Secretary in furnishing the records, including the requirement that the individual who is the subject of the records be afforded a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the records; and

(B)the complying person and any agents and insurers of the complying person have taken all precautions reasonably necessary to protect the records from disclosure to any person, except for such an insurer, not directly involved in forwarding the records.

(3)Persons knowingly furnishing false information.—

Subsection (a) does not apply to persons who knowingly furnish false information.

(c)Preemption of State and Local Law.—

No State or political subdivision thereof may enact, prescribe, issue, continue in effect, or enforce any law (including any regulation, standard, or other provision having the force and effect of law) that prohibits, penalizes, or imposes liability for furnishing or using safety performance records in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary to carry out this section. Notwithstanding any provision of law, written authorization shall not be required to obtain information on the motor vehicle driving record of an individual under consideration for employment with a motor carrier.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4014(a)(1), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 409, which directed the addition of section 508 at end of this chapter, was executed by adding this section at the end of subchapter I of this chapter to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 508, added Pub. L. 102–548, § 2(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3646, related to certification of weights and description, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–272, § 4(j)(11)(B), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1368. See chapter 59 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4014(b), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 411, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect on January 31, 1999.”

§508 Safety Performance History of New Drivers; Limitation on Liability