Inadequate Training & Truck Accidents
Trucks pose such a serious threat to road safety, it’s imperative that they’re operated by knowledgeable, skilled drivers. For that reason, both Illinois state law and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have very strict driver training requirements in place. Drivers must complete several training requirements before they can obtain a CDL, which gives them the authority to operate a Commercial Vehicle.
When a trucking company operates longer combination vehicles (LCVs), which are trucks hauling two or more trailers, drivers must receive specialized training and obtain an LCV Training Certification Document. Training can be provided by an employer or obtained from a third-party training service.
Employers are obligated to make sure they hire qualified drivers who’ve had the proper training, and to provide additional training as necessary. For instance, it’s often important to make sure that drivers receive route-specific training to help them navigate conditions or issues that aren’t a part of general truck driver licensing requirements but are applicable to the job they’ve been hired for.
However, training takes time and requires resources, which can be at odds with a trucking service’s drive to make money.
As a result, inadequate driver training is a common factor in truck accidents.
How Can Inadequately Trained Truck Drivers Cause Accidents?
When a driver lacks the necessary training to operate large, heavy commercial trucks, they’re likely to make mistakes.
These drivers will lack basic knowledge about how to operate a vehicle, including:
- How the length, height, and weight of a truck can affect navigation
- Braking time and distances
- How trailers move in relation to a tractor
- Proper protocols for securing freight and cargo
- Knowing the ins and outs of their rig’s blind spots
- How to manage their vehicle’s speed, particularly on inclines, declines, and in poor weather conditions
- Proper techniques for backing a tractor-trailer or another large truck
Given the nature of driving and operating large trucks, these mistakes can have catastrophic consequences.
Is a Trucking Company Responsible For Inadequately Trained Drivers?
They can be, yes. Trucking companies have to hire qualified employees, ensure they’re adequately trained, and supervise those employees to make sure that things run smoothly.
When an employer takes this responsibility seriously, the chances that a poorly trained truck driver gets behind the wheel are slim.
In the event that a poorly trained driver does operate a large commercial truck, they can be liable for mistakes that cause truck accidents. So, too, can the trucking company they work for. The trucking company can be liable for its own negligence in failing to train its drivers, as well as vicariously liable for their driver’s errors.
Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC Can Help You Seek Compensation After a Truck Accident With a Poorly Trained Driver
Trucks are inherently complicated vehicles. When an unfit driver is at the wheel, mistakes are bound to happen. If you’ve been the victim of a truck accident because of inadequate driver training, Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC can help you fight for justice.
Our Chicago truck accident lawyers can offer the powerhouse legal representation needed to take on the trucking industry and win life-changing results. We’ve already helped our clients win over $750 million in damages. Now, our award-winning Illinois trial attorneys can fight for your best interests, too.
Call our Chicago law office for a free consultation today.