Truck driving is an enormous responsibility. Trucks are huge, heavy, and capable of destroying almost anything in their path. While truckers are required to go through a training process, they often graduate with less behind-the-wheel experience than a traditional diver. Does that mean truckers need more training?
Commercial Driver’s License
Before operating a commercial truck, drivers must earn a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Earning a CDL typically consists of a written test, supervised driving, and an exam. However, trucking interest groups are pushing to change those rules and get more truckers on the road as quickly as possible.
Lifted Restrictions
The American Trucking Association has long opposed the 30-hour CDL requirement. In fact, they lobbied against it, claiming that a CDL should be given based on driving proficiency rather than hours behind the wheel.
In December 2019, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) partially changed its rules and created a “skill-based entry-level driver training rule.”
Double Standards
In Missouri, young drivers must spend 40 hours of supervised time behind the wheel before they can take their driver’s exam. Even then, someone who passes the test isn’t necessarily considered a “good” driver.
Yet truck drivers, who drive enormous vehicles with massive blindspots carrying thousands of pounds of cargo, typically have just 30 hours behind the wheel, or even less if they can demonstrate driving skill.
The problem is that a single driving test doesn’t paint a full picture of someone’s abilities. And truck drivers often have less training that the drivers around them. Limited training puts all of us at risk, not just truck drivers.
If you or someone you love suffered severe injuries or even wrongful death in a commercial truck accident, we are here for you. If you’d like an experienced Missouri personal injury attorney from Kolker Law Firm to evaluate your case, please send us an email or call (314) 684-8285.