As you are driving on the highway, you may witness a large commercial truck engaging in reckless, careless, or dangerous behaviors that could cause a serious accident on the roadways. You have the legal option to report these unsafe truck drivers and unsafe trucking companies if you notice any hazardous or dangerous behaviors of a truck driver. Reporting unsafe truck drivers can save someone’s life. If you suffered any injuries or losses as a result of a truck driver’s negligence, you may have the legal right to receive compensation for your losses. However, if you simply witness unsafe practices by a truck driver, here are the steps you should consider following:
Call 911
If you are driving a vehicle on the roadways and see that a large commercial truck is operating their vehicle in a dangerous manner, simply call 911 immediately. The dispatcher will likely ask you a series of questions that will tell the police exactly what direction the truck is headed as well as what kind of dangerous behavior the driver is exhibiting. If you are able to do so, you provide as much information regarding the truck as possible, including a license plate number.
Complaints Directly to the FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is a federal agency and also a division of the Department of Transportation (DOT). The FMCSA has direct responsibility to enforce laws and regulations related to the commercial trucking industry. If you do not believe that anyone is in immediate danger on the roadways, but still want to report some negligent behavior of a truck driver, you may want to consider contacting the FMCSA and filing an official report.
FMCSA Violations
There are certain specific regulations that every truck driver and commercial trucking company must follow. Many of these regulations center around ensuring the safety of the truck driver and others on the roadways. Some of the types of violations of truck drivers on the roadways may include the following:
- Hours of Service. Failure by the truck driver to stop and rest at specific times and after a specific period of driving time.
- Maintenance. Failure to ensure that the commercial truck receives the proper inspection, maintenance, and repairs.
- Recordkeeping. Failure to keep the log books related to hours of service and maintenance regarding the truck driver, hours of service, cargo loading, or the maintenance of the truck.
Your complaint will go into a National Consumer Complaint Database at the DOT which contains all of the complaints against truck drivers and trucking companies.
Contact an Experienced Trucking Accident Lawyer
If the hazardous or dangerous behavior of a truck driver results in your injuries and losses, contact our experienced trucking accident attorneys at Griggs Injury Law at (816) 474-0202. We have experience regarding large commercial trucking accident cases. You may have the right to receive compensation for your medical bills, property damage, loss of wages due to your inability to return to work, and your pain and suffering.
