An audit by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General revealed that 93 percent of commercial driver license exams in the state of Utah are administered by third-party testers. Four out of the nine exams covertly observed by the legislative auditor revealed serious problems, including examiners signing off on portions of the test before they were administered. Currently, only two state employees are assigned to regulate more than 300 private testing companies. In 2003, Ejub Grcic ran a stop sign and killed a family of five after receiving his CDL from a Utah company that was later indicted for allegedly issuing fraudulent licenses.
Every year, approximately 500,000 accidents involving large trucks occur in the United States, resulting in roughly 5,000 fatalities and 100,000 injuries. Of the fatalities, nearly 98 percent are occurring in passenger vehicles.
In a 2006 report called the Large Truck Crash Causation Study, truck drivers accounted for 88 percent of the critical reasons for accidents. The most common factors were traveling too fast for road conditions, illegal maneuvers, legal prescription drug use, unfamiliarity with the roadway and fatigue. Only 10 percent of the critical reasons for accidents were attributed to equipment failure, resulting primarily from insufficient braking capacity, tire or wheel failure and cargo shift. Two percent of all accidents were attributed to environmental conditions such as damaged roadways or extreme weather.
To improve their safety records, trucking companies should make sure that all drivers are well-trained and qualified, and all trucks are well maintained. After an accident occurs, and after all injured parties have received medical attention, it is important to preserve any evidence from the accident such as measurements, medical records, photographs of the accident scene, scene debris and any faulty vehicle parts that may have contributed to the incident.
The cost of a truck accident can be substantial, as the potential for injury and other damages is very high. Truck accident attorneys can help to determine the liability and responsibility for the accident and they know which records and evidence to preserve. These include trucker's log books, drug tests and personnel records. In addition, they are familiar with computers that monitor speed, braking and driving patterns.
Victims of trucking accidents - whether truck drivers, individuals in passenger vehicles or pedestrians - may be entitled to compensation for damaged property, medical bills, loss of wages, pain and suffering, impairment of earning capacity, lifestyle changes and punitive damages. This will only occur if the victim's attorney knows what to review to analyze the situation.
