Have You Been Injured? We're Ready to Fight for You.

How to Report Unsafe Truck Drivers

Published on Jan 15, 2014 at 8:09 am in Trucking Accident.

Kentucky Truck Accident Despite many truck drivers who go about their business in a professional manner, every once in a while you run across a crazy one wielding his 10,000-pound vehicle like it’s a weapon. What can you do? The answer depends on the type of truck service involved.

Federal Reporting

The U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the national regulator for moving companies, including bus and truck companies. Depending on the circumstances, they may be able to process a complaint. The complaints can cover unsafe driving, but also any concerns about service issues.

Generally, the FMCSA only has jurisdiction over vehicles that travel in more than one state, which makes it “interstate” activity. The FMCSA may also have jurisdiction if you are a passenger on a bus, limousine, or motor coach service that travels in more than one state and you witness safety problems.

For most trucking and bus incidents, the FMCSA requires the following criteria:

  • The safety issue involves an interstate (shipping between two or more states) carrier OR a hazardous materials carrier; and
  • The violation occurred within the last 60 days.

You can either call a Safety Violation Hotline (1-888-DOT-SAFT) or you can file a complaint on their website at http://nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov/.

Complaints about moving companies must be about companies that cross state lines, but they don’t have to have occurred within the last 60 days and can be reported at any time. For ADA or Hazmat complaints, you can contact FMCSA anytime – there are no interstate or time restrictions on those.

State Reporting

If the vehicle you’re concerned about doesn’t meet federal reporting criteria, you can contact a FMCSA State Field Office also listed on the FMSCA website.

A regional partnership of law enforcement agencies in the District of Columbia and Maryland called “Smooth Operator” has been formed to help drivers handle problems with other drivers’ aggressive driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the definition of aggressive driving is, “When individuals commit a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.”

The Smooth Operator program advises motorists that police will need to know the following information to report an aggressive driver:

  • Description of vehicle (color, make, model, license plate state, and license plate number).
  • Description of driver (sex, race, age, hair color, height, weight).
  • Location of incident.
  • Date and time of incident.
  • What happened?
  • Would you be willing to serve as a witness? If yes, you must give your name, address, and phone number.

Information on the Smooth Operator website cautions drivers to consider their own safety when reacting to other aggressive drivers. It advises, “When encountering an aggressive driver, stay calm, keep your distance from that driver, do not return gestures, and remember not to take it personally.”

It may help to stay calm in these situations if you know that there is some official – and productive – action you can take, according to the procedures outlined here.

Free Case Evaluation

At Thomas Law Offices, our personal injury attorneys recognize that our potential clients are likely going through some of the most difficult times of their lives. We don't want you to have to worry about paying out of pocket for legal advice when you're just starting to learn your legal rights and options. That's why we provide free case evaluations. We'll offer our expert advice about your potential case and walk you through how we can help you.

Call us or fill out the form below to tell us about your potential case and a personal injury lawyer will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Meet Our Founder

Tad Thomas - Trial Lawyer

Tad Thomas

Managing Partner

Tad Thomas has dedicated his practice to representing plaintiffs in various types of civil litigation, including personal injury, business litigation, class actions, and multi-district litigation.

After graduating with his law degree in 2000 from Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, Mr. Thomas immediately opened his own private practice and began representing injury victims.

In 2011, Thomas Law Offices was established in Louisville, Kentucky. Over the past decade, Mr. Thomas has expanded his firm and now has offices in three additional locations: Cincinnati, Ohio, Columbia, Missouri, and Chicago, Illinois. He is also a frequent lecturer on topics like trial skills and ethics and technology.

Legal & Firm News

How To File a Life Care Centers of America Lawsuit

Finding the right nursing home, rehabilitation center, or assisted living facility for your loved one can involve weeks or months of research and visits. When you think you’ve found the right one, it can feel like a weight lifting off your shoulders. Not every nursing home is what it appears to be at first, though. […]

Read More

Nearly 2,000 Children Sexually Abused by Catholic Clergy in Illinois

Illinois Attorney General (AG) Kwame Raoul announced on May 23, 2023, that his office had completed an investigation that has identified at least 1,997 children abused by an estimated 451 male Catholic clergy during a 90-year period across six dioceses in our state. The multi-year investigation first got underway while the current Illinois AG’s predecessor […]

Read More

How Soon Should a Tetanus Shot Be Given After an Injury?

From motor vehicle accidents to slips and falls and other dangerous property scenarios, and defective product situations, these are only a few examples of personal injury incidents that can seriously hurt someone. While it may be intuitive to seek medical attention if you suspect you’ve suffered harm after one of these accidents, would you also […]

Read More
Tad Thomas on The National Crime Victim Bar Association
National Civil Justice Institute - Trustee
Tad Thomas on Lawyer Minds
Tad Thomas on American Association for Justice
Southern Trial Lawyers Association
Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
Ohio Association for Justice
Kentucky Justice Association
Fellows of the Litigation Counsel of America
Martindale Hubbell Preeminent
2021 Public Justice Member
AAJ Masters of Trial Law: Champion