Truck Driving Safety Requirements, According to Each Class of Commercial Driver’s License
Think of a profession that requires both adhering to a detailed plan and reacting appropriately in the moment, one where, if you make even a small mistake, multiple people could die or be seriously injured. Driving a truck is one profession that fits that description. The stereotype is that truck drivers spend their days exchanging foul-mouthed banter over their CB radios and their evenings shooting the breeze at truck stop diners. If truck drivers look like they are doing nothing, it is because they are observing legally mandated rest periods, which are one of the many rules they have to follow. Bringing an 18-wheeler to its destination safely requires lots of planning; any mistake in loading or maintaining the truck, not to mention a garden-variety driving error, could cause devastation. In personal injury law terms, everything mentioned in this paragraph is part of a truck driver’s duty of care, and if they fail to do it, then a person who gets injured as a result of the truck driver’s mistake could have a case against the driver or the company in a truck accident injury lawsuit.
Different Licenses for Different Vehicles
If someone driving a vehicle larger than a car doesn’t know what they are doing, it is a recipe for disaster. Some trucking accidents happen when the driver is not licensed to operate that kind of truck, which is an obvious case of negligence on the part of the driver and whichever company owns the truck and knowingly let an unlicensed driver operate it. All commercial vehicle drivers must pass five tests before the State of Florida will grant them a license:
- General knowledge test
- Air brakes knowledge test
- Pre-trip inspection skills test
- On-road skills test
- Basic vehicle control skills test
The knowledge tests are written tests; the DMV offers these tests in several languages. The skills tests are conducted face-to-face, and all communication in these tests must be in English. The tests are different for each type of commercial drivers’ license:
- Class A – for trucks that weigh more than 26,000 pounds and tow trailers or other vehicles above 10,000 pounds
- Class B – for buses and trailer-less trucks that weigh more than 26,000 pounds
- Class C – for buses and large vans that seat 16 or more people but weigh less than 26,000 pounds
Commercial vehicle drivers must keep detailed records of their mileage, driving schedule, and vehicle maintenance. Therefore, it is often easy to tell what went wrong in an accident. If there are not sufficient records, that can only count against the trucking company in a personal injury lawsuit relating to a truck accident.
Contact an Attorney Today for Help
There is no such thing as a minor accident when one of the vehicles involved weighs more than 26,000 pounds. If you have suffered serious injuries in an accident involving a commercial vehicle, a personal injury lawyer can help you recover damages. Contact a Sunrise truck accident lawyer at the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld for help today.
Resource:
flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/commercial-motor-vehicle-drivers/commercial-driver-license/
