How Qualified Are Louisiana Truck Drivers?

Every once in a while, a major Louisiana truck wreck makes the headlines, followed by a sad report of terrible injuries, material damage, and ruined lives. While slightly more than half of all serious accidents involving trucks are caused by other vehicles, truck drivers bear a great responsibility. In more than 85 percent of all passenger car accidents with large trucks, the fatally injured victims are occupants of the passenger cars.

Hiring, selecting and training qualified truck drivers are some of the most important duties of a motor carrier's management. What are the minimum legal requirements to drive a tractor-trailer?

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, all truck drivers must at least:

• Be 21 years old or older;
• Be able to speak and read English in order to converse with the public, understand traffic rules and signals, answer official questions and make reports and record entries required by regulations;
• Have a valid CDL (commercial driver license), and not more than one;
• Present a valid medical certificate;
• Be able to drive safely;
• Know how to load, stow and secure cargo;
• Present a list of all traffic violations or a signed statement that the driver has not been convicted of violations in the last 12 months;

Every motor carrier needs to keep an updated Driver Qualification File that includes the driver's application for employment, employment and driving records of the last three years, a road test certificate and medical records. This file can be a crucial source of evidence of a driver or motor carrier's liability after a serious and devastating tractor-trailer crash.

If you have been hurt in a car, truck or motorcycle accident caused by someone else, contact the New Orleans accident attorneys of the Young Firm for a FREE discussion of your case. Also order our FREE lawyer book, A Guide To Steering Through a Serious Vehicle Accident in Louisiana.