The Duty of Truck Drivers: Higher Expectations to Avoid Truck Accidents in Nashville
Stringent licensing requirements for truckers
Getting a driver license to operate a normal motor vehicle is a very different experience compared to getting a commercial truck driver license. In 1986, the federal government gave birth to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Its purpose was to improve highway safety and ensure two things:
- That commercial vehicle drivers are qualified to drive big rigs
- That unqualified drivers are taken off of our highways
The act left the business of licensing to the states, but it set forth minimum standards for state-issued commercial driver licenses (CDLs). Each state had to compare its current CDL standards to this new federal standard and upgrade its CDL program to meet or exceed the new federal standards. To reduce semi truck accidents in Nashville and throughout the state, Tennessee took a strong stance of support on these standards. For example, to be eligible for a CDL and operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce, a driver must—
- Have a clean driving record
- Pass a physical exam every two years
- Be at least 21 years of age
- Be able to read and speak English well enough to read signs, prepare reports, and communicate with police
- Have only one driver license (i.e., you cannot hold a regular and commercial driver's license at the same time)
Allowing just one driver licenses has significantly reduced the number of 18 wheeler accidents in Nashville because it is now much harder for bad drivers to hide their bad driving histories by getting multiple licenses.
Stringent operational requirements for truckers
Another important factor reducing tractor trailer accidents in Nashville is the detailed reporting and record keeping requirements that truckers must abide by in order to drive in our state. You are less like to be in a semi truck accident in Nashville today than drivers were in the past because current Tennessee law requires truckers to keep a log book. When you have been in a trucking accident in Nashville, the trucker's log serves several functions:
- Documents pre-trip inspections of the trucker's rig, which should include a detailed check of the tractor-trailer's parts and its systems
- Validates driver's performance of vehicle maintenance
- Documents the satisfactory repair of defects and deficiencies listed in a previous report
- Establishes a detailed routine/checklist of all relevant inspection points
- Serves as evidence in the event of a tractor trailer accident in Nashville
Strong representation for your truck accident in Nashville
When you need a truck accident lawyer in Tennessee, contact Sexton & Wykoff PLLC. We have years of experience representing victims of trucking accidents in Nashville and throughout Eastern Tennessee. Serious injury and death often result from truck crashes. If this happens to you or someone you love, make sure that you find a reliable lawyer to represent you. Our experience will help ensure that you obtain the strongest possible settlement for the injuries sustained in your 18 wheeler accident in Nashville.
Sexton and Wykoff, PLLC maintains convenient offices in Nashville so we may meet and discuss your legal needs if you are involved in a trucking accident. Please contact us to set an appointment.
