Pennsylvania Truck Accident Attorneys Investigate Drivers' Training, Supervision and Driving Record
Have you have been injured in a truck accident in Pennsylvania? A prompt investigation may reveal that the truck driver or, the trucking company was responsible for the accident.
It is not enough for a trucking company to hire a driver simply because he or she has a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Before hiring a driver the company should:
- check the driver’s accident record for both property damage and injury accident;
- check for speeding and other moving violations;
- check for citations for driving with overweight loads;
- check for driver’s log violations; and
- check with the driver’s references for such things as whether the driver has a practice of making thorough pre-trip inspections and whether the driver is competent and diligent in making sure the trailer is loaded correctly.
After hiring the driver, the company should:
- make sure the driver is trained on and familiar with the type of equipment that he/she will be operating;
- insist upon thorough pre-trip inspections and have a commensurate equipment maintenance program (including taking equipment out of service immediately when repairs or maintenance are needed);
- enforce a policy of complying with the hours or service limitations and insist that accurate driver’s logs be kept;
- adopt and enforce a zero tolerance policy with regard to drugs and alcohol; and
- authorize its drivers to refuse to haul loads that are inappropriate for the equipment at hand or that are not loaded safely.
Contact a Pennsylvania truck accident lawyer at our firm by phone or by e-mail through this Web site.
