Commercial Driver’s Licenses and Your Truck Accident Claim
When you are a teenager newly eligible to get a learner’s permit, you pick up the booklet of traffic safety rules from the DMV, and your first impression is that the number of details you must keep in mind when you drive is overwhelming. After you have been driving for a few years, it seems intuitive, but you probably frequently see people making driving mistakes, enough to make you honk your horn in anger, even if not enough to cause an accident. A small mistake with a car can lead to a devastating collision. How much worse is it then when the driver of a commercial truck makes an error of similar magnitude? An accident that would be a fender bender if it involved two cars can become a multi-vehicle pileup with fatalities if one of the vehicles involved is a truck. Therefore, truck drivers must fulfill stricter requirements before getting a license to drive a truck, and different types of commercial vehicles have different licensing requirements. If you have suffered injuries in a truck accident, contact a Fort Lauderdale truck accident attorney.
What Do the Categories of Commercial Driver’s Licenses Mean?
The driver’s license you get to drive a car only allows you to drive small passenger vehicles such as cars, pickup trucks, and minivans. Anything larger, and you must get a commercial driver’s license (CDL) specific to the type of vehicle you wish to drive. These are the categories of commercial driver’s licenses in Florida:
- Class A – This CDL category is for tractor-trailers where the truck weighs at least 26,000 pounds and can tow a trailer that weighs at least 10,000 pounds.
- Class B – This class of license is for straight trucks where the freight is inside the truck itself instead of in an attached trailer. With this license, you can drive a bus or straight truck that weighs less than 26,000 pounds.
- Class C – This license enables you to transport hazardous materials in a relatively small commercial truck. It also enables you to drive vans that seat more than 16 people.
Each class of CDL requires applicants to pass a knowledge test, which is a written test; in Florida, the knowledge tests for CDL drivers are available in several languages. Drivers must pass a separate knowledge test specific to air brakes, since operating and maintaining the air brakes are one of the biggest challenges of driving a commercial truck. In addition, each CDL requires its own set of skills tests, which the driver must complete in the presence of an examiner. These include driving and pre-trip inspections. These tests are only given in English, so drivers must demonstrate the ability to communicate in spoken English.
Set Up a Consultation Today
A truck accident lawyer can help you file a personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim if you suffered serious injuries in a traffic accident caused by a commercial truck. Contact Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida or call 954-566-919 to explore your potential recovery options today.
Source:
flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/commercial-motor-vehicle-drivers/commercial-driver-license/
