Direct answers about 172.602A citations. Will it put you OOS? Where are citations happening? What's next after being cited.
Ranks #1,272 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 0.0% is below the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
Emergency Response information not complete
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
No. Across our inspection database, 172.602A has never resulted in an out-of-service placement. The 0.0% OOS rate on all 166 all-time citations means this code is a warning-level violation only—your truck stays legal to operate while you correct the emergency response documentation.
For context, the national average OOS rate across all FMCSR codes is 31.4%, so 172.602A is significantly less severe than most violations inspectors encounter.
172.602A addresses incomplete emergency response information for hazardous materials shipments. This means inspectors found your hazmat documentation missing required emergency contact details, procedures, or reference materials needed in case of a spill or incident.
While it's not equipment-based (like brake or lighting defects), it's still a documented hazmat compliance gap that federal inspectors flag during roadside checks.
First, obtain a copy of the citation and review exactly which emergency response details are missing. Second, verify your current hazmat documentation against the shipper's bill of lading and Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
Third, contact your carrier's hazmat compliance officer to ensure all future loads include complete emergency response contact information and procedures. Unlike major violations, you don't face an immediate repair deadline—but correct the paperwork before accepting the next hazmat load.
172.602A is a low-severity hazmat documentation violation. The peer codes in hazmat enforcement show a stark difference:
172.602A is ranked #1275 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, meaning it's uncommon but consistently non-critical when cited.
Our inspection records show 172.602A is concentrated in Texas, which accounts for 31 citations over the last 180 days. North Carolina follows with 3 citations, and Illinois with 2 citations. All other states see minimal or no activity on this code.
If you operate in Texas, especially on routes involving hazmat transport, ensure your emergency response information is complete before every inspection.
The data shows fluctuation across the last 12 months. September 2025 saw a spike with 17 citations, while more recent months have ranged from 3 to 12. Over the full 12-month period, 102 citations were issued, averaging about 8 per month.
This suggests it's not a rapidly growing problem, but inspectors continue to catch incomplete emergency response documentation during routine hazmat checks. The 14 citations in the last 90 days indicates steady baseline enforcement.
When inspectors cite 172.602A, they frequently find other hazmat and equipment issues in the same stop. Over the last 90 days, placarding violations (177.817A) co-occurred in 6 shared inspections, while damaged hazmat packages (177.823A), fatigue violations (392.2RG), and regulatory documentation gaps (107.601) each appeared in 4 shared inspections.
This pattern suggests that incomplete emergency response information often correlates with broader hazmat compliance gaps, so address all flagged items in your corrective action plan.
Documentation-based violations like 172.602A can be contested through the DataQs (Crash and Roadside Data Quality) challenge process if you have evidence the emergency response information was actually present at the time of inspection, the inspector misidentified the required documents, or the documentation met regulatory standards.
You'll need to submit supporting records—copies of bills of lading, SDS sheets, and emergency contact procedures—showing compliance at the time of the stop. Consult your carrier's compliance or legal team to evaluate whether your specific citation has defensible grounds.
Where 172.602A is most commonly cited (last 180 days)
Other violations commonly found on the same inspection (last 90 days)
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.