Common Cause of 18-Wheeler Accidents: Not Training Drivers

Attorney Carson R. Runge | 888-364-6814 | Free Consult

“Time is money for these 18-wheeler companies. So if they halt putting someone behind a tractor-trailer, then that’s money that they’re losing in hauling freight.”

Carson R. Runge is a personal injury attorney with Sloan Law Firm with offices in Longview and Houston, TX. He concentrates his practice on catastrophic personal injury cases.

In this interview, he explains how many trucking companies will hire unqualified drivers to operate 18-wheelers and fail to give them proper training. He says that in some cases, they’re given keys to a truck on the day they apply. Failure to properly train drivers is a common cause of 18-wheeler accidents. Runge says that this is just one of the ways that trucking companies and drivers cut corners to save money.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Key Takeaways From Carson R. Runge:

Unqualified drivers pose a significant risk to others on the road, especially when they are driving vehicles as large as the 18-wheelers and semi-trucks we drive alongside every day.

Unfortunately, unqualified drivers are a common issue in trucking accidents.

Trucking companies are required to perform a minimum level of investigation into the driving history of the truck drivers they employ. Additionally, they are required to provide and enforce quality training programs that ensure their drivers stay up to date on the latest safety standards of the industry.

When trucking companies fail to devote the time and effort to properly vetting and training their employees before sending them out on the road, their negligence puts the lives and safety of every other driver in addition to their own at risk.

Time is money for large trucking companies.

This pressure to get on the road as fast as possible and stay on the road with as few rest breaks as possible has increased the danger for truck drivers and passenger vehicle drivers alike. When a truck isn’t moving, the company isn’t making money. This unfortunately inspires some trucking companies to encourage if not demand their drivers violate industry safety regulations such as following the proper speed limit and taking mandatory rest breaks after a certain number of hours on the road. This desire to increase profits can result in trucking companies and drivers cutting corners in regards to safety protocol and proper driver training.

Truck driving requires a CDL license.

The average driver of a standard passenger vehicle can hop into any big-rig off the street and drive it on their own. Large trucks require different driving knowledge and techniques, which is why their drivers are required to have a special CDL license.

Liability in a truck accident can be difficult to prove and can lie with multiple parties.

This is why it is extremely important for anyone involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler to seek legal advice. Trucking companies, their insurance providers, and their drivers are unlikely to provide the necessary documentation to prove the facts of an accident on their own.

Additionally, these companies have their own highly skilled legal and insurance teams that will be sent to the scene of the accident immediately after it happens. A truck accident attorney will know how to handle these teams and ensure that important evidence doesn’t go missing, as well as having access to channels through which they can obtain evidence the average layperson could not, such as law enforcement traffic records, truck driving logs, and surveillance footage from local businesses. Based on the evidence your attorney finds, your claim could be against the trucking company, driver, or even both.

If you witness an 18-wheeler driving erratically, give the vehicle space and call the number on the back of the truck.

Many large trucks have a sticker on the back with a phrase similar to “how’s my driving” with a number you can call to report a truck exhibiting strange behavior. Runge recommends calling this number if one exists, reporting the incident, and also recording the name of the motor carrier listed on the body of the semi-truck itself to call when you get home. If you find yourself in the vicinity of a large truck exhibiting behavior that puts yourself and those around you in immediate danger, don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1.

To learn more, contact Carson R. Runge directly by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only. In some states, this video may be deemed Attorney Advertising. The choice of lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.