What 172.602B means in plain language
FMCSR 172.602B requires that hazardous materials shipments include proper emergency response information presented in the correct form and manner. When you're transporting hazmat, federal regulations mandate that emergency responders and enforcement officers can quickly locate and understand critical safety information about what you're carrying and how to handle it in case of an accident, spill, or other incident.
This isn't about having the information buried somewhere in your paperwork—it's about having it accessible, clearly formatted, and positioned where anyone responding to an emergency can find it fast. The regulation covers the structural requirements: how the information is displayed, where it must be placed, and what format it must take. A citation here typically means an inspector found that your emergency response information was either missing, incomplete, improperly formatted, or positioned in a way that made it difficult to locate during an actual emergency.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our inspection database of 13 million+ roadside records, we tracked 182 all-time citations for 172.602B, with 92 citations in the last 12 months and 23 in the last 90 days. This ranks 172.602B at #1240 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume—a relatively low-frequency violation.
The most important number for your situation: our data shows a 0.0% out-of-service rate for this code. Across all 182 citations in our records, zero resulted in the vehicle being placed out of service. This is substantially lower than the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%. In practical terms, if you receive a 172.602B citation, you will not be pulled off the road immediately. You'll receive a notice of violation, but you can continue your trip and address the issue before your next inspection or in response to the citation process.
The citation trend over the past 12 months shows modest fluctuation: citations ranged from 4 (September 2025) to 14 (December 2025), with recent months averaging around 9–11 citations per month. This suggests the violation is consistently cited but not at a scale that would indicate a national enforcement surge.
Who gets cited most
Our data on the last 180 days shows that Texas accounts for the vast majority of 172.602B citations, with 50 citations and a 0.0% OOS rate. Illinois follows with 5 citations (0.0% OOS), and North Carolina with 1 citation (0.0% OOS). No other states appear in the top three, indicating that this violation is heavily concentrated in Texas enforcement activity.
Among carriers with the highest all-time citation counts, our data shows fleets such as Quality Tank SA de CV (USDOT 2864600) with 11 citations, Greenwood Motor Lines Inc (USDOT 63391) with 4 citations, and Estes Express Lines (USDOT 121018) with 3 citations. These numbers reflect operational exposure—carriers moving larger volumes of hazmat see more inspections overall. No pattern of negligence or systemic non-compliance is indicated by this distribution.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
172.602B sits in the broader hazardous materials compliance category. By comparison, other hazmat-related codes show markedly different enforcement severity:
- 177.834A (General loading/unloading hazmat) has 3,954 citations and a 99.2% OOS rate—one of the most serious hazmat violations.
- 172.516(c)(6) (Placard damaged, deteriorated or obscured) has 1,796 citations and a 1.6% OOS rate, which is closer to 172.602B's severity profile.
- 172.602(c)(1) (Maintenance/accessibility of Emergency Response information) has 1,464 citations and a 0.0% OOS rate, indicating that emergency response documentation issues across this regulation family are typically treated as correctable documentation problems rather than imminent safety failures.
The pattern is clear: emergency response information violations are low-severity in the enforcement hierarchy. They are tracked and cited, but they don't warrant immediate vehicle removal from service.
How to avoid it
Based on inspection patterns we see in our data, here are concrete actions to prevent a 172.602B citation:
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Before every load, physically locate and inspect your emergency response documentation. On hazmat loads, verify that the emergency response information (Emergency Response Telephone Number, shipping papers with proper hazmat descriptions, or required reference materials like the DOT Emergency Response Guidebook) are where they should be and legible. Don't assume it's there from the previous load.
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Ensure the format matches federal requirements. If you're using printed shipping papers, verify that hazmat information is clearly separated and easy to find—not mixed into generic freight documentation or buried under other paperwork. Inspectors cite this code when the required info exists but isn't presented in the mandated manner.
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Check placard condition alongside emergency response documentation. Our 90-day data shows that placard deterioration (code 177.817E) is the most common co-occurring citation with 172.602B, appearing in 6 of the last 90 days' shared inspections. If your placards are faded, damaged, or falling off, your emergency response information is often in the same condition. Walk around your vehicle and check all four sides.
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For carriers using hazmat tank vehicles (particularly Freightliner, Kenworth, and Peterbilt units, which together account for most 172.602B citations in our records), establish a pre-trip routine that includes verifying emergency response compartments or documentation storage is secure and accessible. Tank vehicles are overrepresented in this violation, suggesting that the specialized nature of hazmat tank documentation sometimes gets overlooked.
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Keep emergency contact numbers current and legible. If you're transporting hazmat requiring an emergency response telephone number, verify it's printed clearly and hasn't faded or smudged from weather or handling.
A 172.602B citation is fixable and non-hazardous from an operational standpoint, but it signals to inspectors that your hazmat compliance process may need attention. Addressing it promptly—usually by correcting the documentation format, replacing deteriorated placards, or ensuring proper accessibility—will resolve the violation.