Inexperienced Drivers

You have probably seen notices on the back of 18-wheelers on the highway that proclaim that a particular trucking company is hiring new drivers with “no experience necessary.” Hiring new employees with no experience is not necessarily a problem, but putting a new driver behind the wheel of a commercial truck before he or she is ready can be extremely dangerous. At Corsiglia McMahon & Allard, L.L.P., we understand that all truck drivers need to gain experience somewhere, but when inexperience leads to accidents, drivers and trucking companies must be held accountable.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration provides regulations and guidelines for the training and certification of the nation’s truck drivers. It is up to the trucking company to ensure that all of its drivers are in full compliance with experience and training requirements. Drivers must receive training in several mandatory areas, including driver qualification requirements, driver wellness, and hours of service rules. Training, however, is not the same as real-world, on-the-road experience.

Experienced drivers typically gain a feel for not only the large truck itself, but also for the road, other drivers, and weather conditions. This allows them to make adjustments quickly, often without even giving conscious thought to doing so. A driver who lacks experience is much more prone to careless mistakes than a seasoned driver. Inexperienced drivers may also struggle when new or unusual situations arise. Driver inexperience is dangerous in any vehicle, but when the vehicle is a large truck that is nearly 70 feet long and weighs up to 80,000 pounds, the dangers increase exponentially.

At Corsiglia McMahon & Allard, L.L.P., we understand that everyone deserves the opportunity to earn a living, and every truck driver on the road today was once an inexperienced driver. However, inexperience is not an excuse when it leads to an accident that causes injury. We have been representing the interests of truck accident victims since 2006, and we are proud to have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Through our work with victims of truck crashes, we are dedicated to making the streets and highways of California safer for all motorists. Our team has been instrumental in establishing case law and promoting legislation that holds negligent drivers and trucking companies accountable for their actions. If you have been injured in an accident caused by an inexperienced truck driver, we are equipped to provide the aggressive, detail-oriented representation you deserve.

To learn more about our firm and how our approach to truck accidents can be of benefit to you, contact our office. Call (408) 289-1417 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. There are no fees unless you collect compensation. Located in San Jose, California, Corsiglia McMahon & Allard, L.L.P. has successfully handled truck accidents throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including but not limited to Highway 17, Highway 152, Highway 101, Highway 1, Highway 680, Highway 580, and Highway 5.