Almost everyone has been in the following situation: you are driving down the highway and you see a large semi-truck tailgating, speeding, weaving, or changing lanes in a careless or dangerous fashion. Such behaviors on the part of truck drivers put all other motorists on the roads and highways at risk of serious injury or even death. If you witness such unsafe driving practices from truck drivers, you should know that there are ways to report that driver to the authorities. Furthermore, if you are involved in an accident with an unsafe truck driver, you should contact an experienced trucking attorney in Fayette County to help you hold that driver liable for his negligent actions.
Commercial trucks are required to have certain signage with specific identifying information visible to other drivers. This identifying information will allow drivers who witness dangerous driving to accurately report the driver in question. Make sure to make note of the date, time, and location of the behavior, as well. Drivers may use the online complaint system via the Safety Violation and the Consumer Household Goods Commercial Complaint Website Hotline. Furthermore, some trucking companies post telephone numbers to safety hotline directly on the truck.
Other motorists are not the only ones who may need to report unsafe trucking practices. Some truck companies are run by corrupt people who encourage drivers to violate trucking regulations in order to make faster deliveries and more money. If drivers experience any pressure from their trucking companies to participate in unsafe practices or to violate the law, they should always report the company to proper authorities. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has a hotline at 1-888-DOT-SAFT that drivers should feel safe to contact and report violations or questionable truck company practices.
Finally, if an accident occurs because of negligent behavior on either the part of the truck driver or truck company, an experienced truck accident lawyer at Shane Smith Law can help you recover for your resulting injuries. Call our office today at (980) 246-2656.