Inadequate Training for Truck Drivers

Truck drivers need experience, education, and training to successfully operate 18-wheelers. Trucks are heavy, tall, wide, and powerful machines that pose severe risks to everyone else on the road. If a truck driver lacks the proper training, they could put themselves and other individuals in severe danger. When a driver without proper training or credentials causes an accident, they can be liable, but the company that hired them and allowed that unqualified driver to operate these massive vehicles may also be responsible.

What training is required for truck drivers?

To obtain your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), you typically have to pass a skills and knowledge driving test, show that you are a permanent resident, and prove you have a good driving record. Individuals thinking about becoming a truck driver in Chicago or other cities in Illinois can be as young as 18 and do not need to attend a truck driver training program. Therefore, it is up to the trucking company that hires them to provide adequate training to ensure that they are ready and able to drive a big rig. The following are some of the skills that truck drivers need in order to operate these large motor vehicles safely:

• The ability to drive in inclement weather like rain, snow, fog, or ice
• Knowledge about how to manage and plan a route that allows for proper rest periods
• An understanding of proper cargo loading to ensure stability
• Knowing how to respond to an accident or emergency situation
• The ability to make proper turns and lane changes, go around curves or sharp turns, stop in time, and find all of the truck’s blind spots

What happens when a trucker lacks training?

When a trucker lacks training, they are more likely to make mistakes. Here are some of the serious truck driving errors that may lead to truck accidents:

• Making improper lane changes and turns
• Driving off the road
• Veering into other lanes
• Driving too fast in poor weather or road conditions
• Failing to stop or slow down in time
• Driving while tired or drowsy
• Violating the hours-of-service rule
• Causing a rollover accident by going around curves or turns too quickly
• Applying brakes when unnecessary
• Driving on roadways where trucks are not allowed

Is training ongoing throughout a truck driver’s career?

Training, educational courses, and workshops should be ongoing throughout a truck driver’s career. The laws and rules of the roadway frequently change. Additionally, the technology truck drivers use develops over time. Therefore, ongoing and recurring training opportunities not only serve as refreshers but also as ways to help truck drivers who have been in the industry for years maintain their knowledge and skills. When trucking companies do not provide or require ongoing training for their employees, they fail to do everything in their power to ensure their drivers can react to emergency situations, carry out certain tasks, utilize modern tools, and prepare for the complexities that often arise with truck driving.

Who can be held liable if an undertrained trucker causes an accident?

If an undertrained trucker causes your accident, there are generally two different parties that you can hold liable:

1. The truck driver: Most of the time, truck accidents occur due to the truck driver’s negligent actions. Therefore, if your accident occurred because the truck driver was speeding, made an improper lane change, failed to stop or brake in time, was falling asleep behind the wheel, or failed to secure their load, there is a strong possibility that the truck driver could be found legally responsible for the accident.
2. The trucking company: If the truck driver’s actions occurred because they lacked training, you may also be able to hold the trucking company liable for your accident. It is the trucking company’s responsibility to hire experienced drivers who know how to do the job in a safe and efficient manner. Therefore, if they hire an inexperienced driver, they should provide the proper training to ensure the driver is able to handle driving a truck and sharing the road. In order to successfully hold the trucking company liable for your accident, you must be able to establish a direct link between the employer’s lack of training requirements or failure to provide training to the driver and your accident and injuries.

At Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers, our Chicago truck accident attorneys are dedicated to standing up and fighting for our clients who have suffered injuries in accidents involving trucks. Therefore, if you hire our team, you can rest assured knowing that we conduct a thorough investigation, determine whether the truck driver lacked any training, collect solid evidence to support your side of the story and advocate for the financial recovery you need to get your life back on track. To learn more about how we can help you file an insurance claim or pursue a truck accident lawsuit, call our office or submit our contact form to schedule a free consultation at our office in Chicago today.