Every truck driver must be well qualified to safely operate a commercial truck, which is much larger than any other vehicle they might have driven before. If a trucker is not experienced with driving a big rig, then an employer should take ample steps to ensure that the truck driver is given appropriate amounts of on-the-job training. When a trucking company fails to take basic steps to only hire competent truck drivers – or there are no job training opportunities to drivers new to the industry – any misconduct or accident caused by an inexperienced driver can put the liability on that company.
A trucking company can be found professionally negligent if they hire drivers who do not have:
Valid commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs)
Clean driving records
Reliable eyesight – as in they have undiagnosed vision problems
Clear hours of service violation records
Trucking companies should also plan on conducting criminal background checks on all new hires to look for any charges or convictions related to driving, such as speeding citations or DUI convictions. Regular drug and alcohol testing should also be conducted by an employer and at random to catch any intoxicated drivers before they can hit the road and possibly hit another driver.