If the Department of Transportation ascertains that a person decides quickly to depart from this State, or to remove therefrom the person's property, or any property used by the person in operations subject to this chapter, or to discontinue business, or to do any other act tending to prejudice or render wholly or partially ineffectual proceedings to assess or collect such tax, whereby it becomes important that such proceedings be brought without delay, the Department of Transportation may immediately make an arbitrary assessment of the amount of tax due, whether or not any report is then due by law and may proceed under such arbitrary assessment to collect the tax, or compel security for the same, and thereafter shall cause notice of such finding to be given to such motor carrier, together with a demand for an immediate report and immediate payment of such tax.