Thousands of wrongful injuries and deaths occur each year because of negligent truck drivers. These accidents, with the proper precautions taken, could have been avoided. If you think you see an unsafe driver on the road, you have the legal right to report their driver.
Causes of Unsafe Truck Driving in Kentucky
Distracted Driving. While Kentucky law allows talking on cellphones while driving, they do not allow texting, instant messaging, or emailing. Other forms of distracted driving include eating, drinking, reaching for fallen objects, and adjusting a vehicle’s internal controls.
Driving Under the Influence. In Kentucky, commercial vehicle drivers are not allowed to exceed a blood alcohol content of 0.04 percent. If you see a truck driver drifting, nearly striking other cars or objects, driving without headlights at night, or erratically braking, that driver may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Fatigued Driving. Most trucking companies set specific regulations that say how long a trucker is allowed to be on the road. Those same companies, however, also set strict deadlines that may tempt drivers to travel beyond those regulations. Federally, a driver must take a 10-hour break for every 11 hours of driving.
Speeding. In Kentucky, speeding is one of the leading causes of auto accidents. If you notice a trucker seems to be driving faster than what the state limit is, they may be putting others at risk.
Reporting an Unsafe Commercial Truck Driver in Kentucky
There are multiple ways to report an unsafe truck driver.
Call 9-1-1
If you witness a truck accident or are concerned about the safety of other drivers because of reckless behavior, call 9-1-1 immediately. You’ll want to ensure the safety of yourself and others, as well as have law enforcement officials remove an unsafe truck driver from the road as soon as possible.
File a Report with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA is responsible for establishing the rules and regulations for safety of the trucking industry. In order to file a report with the FMSCA, your concern must involve an interstate or hazardous materials, and it has to have happened within the last 60 days. When you file a report, you’ll need to have either the truck carrier name, the US DOT number, or the MC number.
File a Report with the State
If your report does not meet the FMCSA requirements, you can call the Kentucky State Police at 1-800-222-5555.
File a Report with the Trucking Company
As a fourth option, you can make a report with the trucking company. Many trucking companies post their phone number on the bumper or tire flaps of the vehicles. If you choose to report the issue to the trucking company, it best to file with the FMCSA first.
If you find yourself seeking legal counsel after a truck accident, our Lexington truck accident attorneys can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
