Truck accident injuries may sometimes be prevented when alert motorists report safety issues.
A truck safety hotline established by The Motor Carrier Transportation Division takes reports from anyone seeing truck safety issues while traveling in Oregon. If you see a truck causing concern, it is important to safely gather as much information as possible. Ideally, record the time, location, a description of the incident and the Oregon DOT license plate number or the company name and truck ID number on the cab. This makes it easier for the authorities to find the appropriate company and notify them of the incident.
According to the Oregon DOT, just a truck ID may not be enough to track down the company responsible, since many trucks are rented. The hotline receives more than 100 reports yearly. Whenever possible, letters are sent to the responsible companies asking them to look into the complaint.
Many reports include speeding or otherwise reckless driving, which cause many serious truck accidents. The DOT asks companies to take appropriate actions, which may mean making a note on a driver’s file. Some companies do deny the allegations, while in other cases divers are fired or resign.
According to the DOT, trucks travel nearly 2 billion miles on Oregon highways yearly. Although truck accident injuries can be devastating, taking steps to call attention to unsafe drivers makes a big difference.
Fellow truck drivers may report problems as well by calling the hotline. Under federal law, a company may not fire, demote, blacklist or threaten drivers. Furthermore, they may not write them up or treat them differently if they report violations of federal safety and health regulations.
Additionally, the law protects drivers who refuse to operate under unsafe conditions.
This includes drivers who refuse to operate a vehicle that fails to meet safety regulations; a driver who report violations of vehicle safety requirements; any driver who alleges exposure to significant hazards; as well as any driver who testifies or others cooperates in a safety-related procedure.
If a serious truck accidents leaves you injured, you should work with an experienced, truck accident attorney. At Johnson Law, P.C. we are here to fight for your rights! Call us today.
