Florida ranks high in injury and death related crashes involving commercial trucks, or semi-trucks. Our Tampa Trucking Attorneys routinely handle cases that involve injuries and fatalities involving trucks or tractor-trailers. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”) recently announced a Final Rule which establishes minimum training standards for entry-level commercial trucks drivers and bus operators who are seeking to obtain their commercial driver’s license, more commonly referred to as their CDL.

Under the newly approved Final Rule, applicants who desire to obtain a CDL are required to demonstrate proficiency in knowledge, training and actual behind the wheel training on public roads, along with additional training obtained from a certified instructional program. The new entry level Final Rule is scheduled to take effect on February 6, 2017.

FMCSA also established another Final Rule that establishes a national drug and alcohol clearinghouse for commercial truck drivers and bus operators. Once the clearinghouse is established, motor carriers will be required to query the system for information concerning current and prospective employees who have unresolved issues or violations of the federal drug and alcohol testing regulations. The Final Rule will additionally require motor carriers to report information about drivers that test positive for or refuse to take drug testing.

Our attorneys litigate several cases each year involving injured motorists throughout Florida, including Hernando County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Manatee County, Polk County, Orange County and Sarasota County that have been injured by a truck driver. Should you have any questions regarding a semi-truck related accident, please contact us, your Tampa Personal Injury Attorneys.