Lack of Training

Truck drivers must have a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) because driving a truck requires specialized skills not required of general motorists. Truckers also should have experience and skill handling large vehicles with complex braking systems.

If a truck driver is not properly trained, his inexperience could increase the chance of a collision. The untrained driver and the trucking company that employs him could be held legally responsible for a resulting collision. Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, helps victims protect their rights in the wake of a serious or fatal trucking accident. Call 800-646-1210 for a free consultation.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration indicates that applicants for a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) must pass a skills test as well as a knowledge test. CDL holders are held to a higher standard when operating motor vehicles on the road and truckers must have special endorsements on their license if they operate:

• A truck with double or triple trailers.
• A truck with an attached tank.
• A truck that is carrying hazardous materials.
• A vehicle that transports passengers.

Having a commercial driver’s license is generally the minimum qualification for working as an Owner Operator and/or for being employed by a trucking or transportation company. Typically, truckers are expected to have two years of professional driving experience before being hired to drive a large truck.

Drivers of large commercial vehicles must have specialized skills to effectively operate air brakes; to account for truck blind spots and wide turns; to ensure cargo is balanced and loaded correctly; and to operate large trucks effectively in poor weather or high-traffic conditions.

Unfortunately, a severe commercial driver shortage is resulting in a lack of experienced drivers. Business Week reports that there were already 25,000 unfilled trucking jobs and that the U.S. government projects that 330,000 new truckers will be needed by 2040. Fewer young people are getting into the trucking business and there is a significant shortfall of qualified professionals.

Trucking companies with fewer candidates may hire drivers with insufficient experience and understaffed trucking companies may not provide adequate training.

If a trucking company hires inexperienced drivers and/or fails to provide proper training, the trucking company may be held legally liable for resulting collisions.

Trucking companies are also liable for negligent actions of drivers on-the-job. If a truck driver has insufficient training to make reasonable, careful choices behind the wheel, both the trucker and the trucking company may be negligent. A victim of a collision caused by a negligent trucker can sue the driver and his employer for medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering and other damages.

Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, represents those who have been injured in collisions with a commercial vehicle. Our Southwest Florida trucking accidents attorneys can help investigate the cause of the collision, obtain training and driving records and assist in proving your claim for compensation. We do not charge legal fees for representing you unless we can obtain compensation for you. Call today at 800-646-1210 to schedule a free consultation.