Chicago Truck Accident Law Firm: Bad Economy Causes Unemployed, Inexperienced Workers to Seek Work As Long-Term Truck Drivers
The massive number of layoffs spurred by the bad economy is causing some unemployed workers to apply for jobs as long-haul truckers. The influx of new truck drivers bodes well for the US trucking industry, which has long had a shortage of truckers. There are tens of thousands of truck driver jobs that are still waiting to be filled.
Firstfleet Inc. fleet manager Tom Davis told MSNBC.com that job inquiries have gone up by 40% to 50% since November. Many laid-off professionals from different socioeconomic backgrounds, including lawyers and doctors, are now taking truck driver training class so they can get certified and earn their commercial trucker driver’s license.
According to American Truck Association president and chief executive Bill Graves, this influx of new blood is good for the industry, which has experienced setbacks because of the economic recession. Avondale Partners says that 3,065 trucking companies went belly up in 2008.
Truck Driver Inexperience
Just because a person takes a training course and gets their commercial trucking license doesn’t mean they know how to safely drive a truck. As with any kind of driving, it takes time and hours logged on the road behind the wheel of a vehicle for a trucker to develop the experience necessary to know how to safely navigate through different situations while operating an 18-wheeler truck, a semi-truck, a semi-trailer truck, a tractor-trailer, or any other large truck. Even experienced drivers run the risk of making mistakes.
A large-sized truck can be a dangerous vehicle to have in the hands of an inexperienced truck driver. The personal injuries that can result because a truck driver didn’t know how to prevent a Chicago truck accident from happening can be catastrophic.
Regardless of whether the truck driver was a new trucker or an experienced driver, as an Illinois truck accident victim you may be entitled to personal injury compensation if his or her negligence caused your truck collision.
Downturn puts trucking firms in driver’s seat, MSNBC, March 24, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Driver-related Regulations, FMCSA
Contact our Chicago truck accident law firm today.
