Some truck accidents happen because drivers are inadequately trained. Operating a commercial vehicle requires different skills and abilities than safely operating a passenger vehicle. When drivers are not properly trained, they can cause accidents and serious injuries.
Here is what you should know about how driver training, or the lack thereof, can potentially affect truck accident claims.
What Training Does New Mexico Require of Commercial Truck Drivers?
New Mexico requires the following of commercial truck drivers:
- Pass the written CDL yesterday
- Receive a CDL learner’s permit
- Attend training in compliance of Entry Level Driver Training with a training provider listed on the Training Provider Registry
Why Are Truck Drivers Inadequately Trained?
In New Mexico, prospective CDL holders can take CDL written tests up to twice a week. There is no limit to how many times they can retake the test, so they could keep taking it until they eventually pass.
Even if the driver completes the requirements above, this only shows they have the necessary knowledge to operate the vehicle, not necessarily the skills to do so safely in real-life conditions.
States and the federal government rely on trucking companies to provide additional training to their drivers. However, trucking companies are profit-driven corporations. There is also a massive gap in the number of qualified truck drivers and the demand, so many trucking companies want to get drivers on the road to start making deliveries and money for the company. This leads to many truck drivers hitting the open road without the requisite skills to do so safely.
How Improperly Trained Drivers Can Cause Truck Accidents
Safely operating a commercial motor vehicle differs significantly from operating a passenger vehicle. They are much larger, have longer stopping distances, may carry heavy loads, and have huge blind spots. When drivers lack the necessary skills to safely operate these vehicles, they may make mistakes or critical errors in judgment that can increase the likelihood of an accident.
Untrained truck drivers may cause accidents by:
- Misjudging the stopping distance required
- Making wide turns unsafely, hitting the vehicles in adjoining lanes
- Failing to monitor their blind spots
- Failing to adjust their speed to weather conditions
- Failing to recognize or anticipate the actions of other motorists
If you were rear-ended, hit by a truck driver making a wide turn, or got the impression after the accident that the driver did not know what they were doing, this may indicate inadequate driver training. You should contact an experienced truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.
Contact the Truck Accident Lawyers from Caruso Law Offices for Legal Advice and Representation
Were you injured in a truck accident and suspect inadequate driver training could have contributed to it? If so, you need an experienced truck accident lawyer on your side who can investigate the crash and demand the personnel and training records to prove your case. Caruso Law Offices wants to help hold the negligent parties responsible for your injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation.