Accidents Caused by Inadequately Trained Drivers

When you are behind an 18-wheeler on a Texas highway, traveling at 70 miles per hour, you want to know that the person behind the wheel has ample experience and training. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Sometimes the driver may have a license to operate a truck, but may not have the skills and training to do so.

With so many companies hiring inexperienced truck drivers today to meet quotas and timelines, a lack of training or inadequate training is a very big problem. It is causing truck accidents across Texas each day. If you have been the victim of an accident caused by a truck driver’s mistake, San Antonio, TX truck accident lawyer Eric Ramos and his legal team want to help you secure the compensation owed to you.

Is a Company Responsible for the Truck Driver’s Mistakes?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has very specific rules in place to regulate who is operating commercial trucks on U.S. highways and streets. This organization sets the rules for what type of training, how much training, and what type of testing is done prior to allowing truck drivers on the roadways with heavy, huge, and powerful machines behind them. Drivers must complete adequate training for the specific type of vehicle they are tasked with driving. This includes passing a written and instructional test, much like what you may due to get your license.

A commercial driver’s license, or CDL, is the basic type of driver’s license for truckers. Those who are over the age of 18 may be able to take them, though drivers must be over the age of 21 if they are carrying hazardous materials, have to transport minors, or have to travel over state lines. From here, they are given the ability to drive trucks based on the trying they get within that area. Class A, B, C, and D are several types of license options. Those with Class A are able to drive combination vehicles with up to 26,000 pounds behind them.

Most truckers need hours spent learning how to navigate behind the wheel of these trucks. The larger and heavier the truck is, the more training is necessary. However, even with this training, truck drivers may still not have the experience or the skill to do well. Yet, they are able to pass a test to get their CDL.

What Are the Consequences of a Poorly Trained Truck Driver?

Trucking accidents in Texas often occur when a driver is unable to manage difficult tasks behind the wheel. However, they can happen for simple mistakes, too. Some common errors that may be directly related to the trucker’s lack of training include:

• Failing to slow or stop the truck in the proper manner, causing the truck to fishtail
• Mistakes made navigating corners or curves
• Inappropriate methods are taken to manage steep includes or declines
• Poorly securing the load (drivers are responsible for ensuring their load is secure)
• Failure to observe height restrictions that are posted
• Failure to load weight properly to distribute it (often resulting in a tipped over truck)
• Failure to manage the truck’s maintenance needs or to handle situations where the brakes, warning lights, or other systems fail

It is not uncommon for truck accidents in San Antonio to be related to poor training. However, it is very difficult to prove that the truck driver’s lack of experience or training was the reason why an accident occurred. Truck insurance companies will work very hard to prove this is not the case to protect their businesses.

What You Should Do if You Are in an Accident with a Truck

If you are in an accident with any type of truck in Texas, gather the necessary evidence possible. That means filing a police report and documenting what happened (at least take pictures of what occurred if possible). Many times, though, drivers are unable to do this because of the injuries they’ve suffered. That’s okay – we can still help you.

If you are in a trucking accident in Texas, our legal team will help you every step of the way. This includes learning what the cause of the accident is, what type of evidence points to this cause (lack of training), and what could or should have been done differently to protect you, as a driver on the road with the truck, from these losses.

As an aggressive law firm focusing on trucking accidents in Texas, including for lack of training, our legal team is here to support you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We will work with you to try to understand what happened to cause your accident and if the driver’s training could be a component of the reason.

There’s no risk in calling and speaking to our legal team. We are committed to representing you as you go up against trucking insurance companies to prove that the injuries you’ve suffered should be compensated fairly. Contact a San Antonio personal injury lawyer today to learn more.