Specific Issues Involving Vocational Trucks
Vocational trucks such as cement mixers, dump trucks, and garbage trucks often require specialized knowledge beyond knowing how to drive the vehicle. When someone without the required specialized knowledge gets behind the wheel, accidents occur.
Vocational vehicles contain extensive controls, and the driver must know and be familiar with the controls. These types of trucks are often built in stages by many separate companies. The frame may be produced by one manufacturer, the shell or the body by another, and the controls by another. Vocational trucks of the same type—such as a tow truck—will often have very different controls on the inside. The buttons on two tow trucks may be in different places, and the levers may be in different places and move in different directions.
The mechanisms can also differ. A driver of one tow truck or cement mixer or dump truck may not be experienced enough to drive a different truck, even if it is of the same type. Faulty operation can cause vehicle malfunction and serious injuries to bystanders.
Companies that maintain fleets of vocational trucks often order very specialized vehicles to suit their particular needs. As a result, these companies often keep the vehicles for longer than standard fleets of trucks. As a result, instructions on how to operate and labels can become obscured. New users of these old vehicles may not have the necessary instructions available to them to know how to operate the vehicle.
Certain specialized trucks, such as tankers, require the driver to have specialized experience and knowledge of how the cargo will be unloaded. One buyer of explosive liquid may have a different receiving terminal than another, and dangerous accidents can occur if the driver does not know the loading and unloading procedure for their specific circumstances.
The Houston truck accident attorneys at Morrow & Sheppard can help you evaluate whether vocational truck issues led to your 18-wheeler truck or commercial vehicle accident. They have the skills and experience to help you and your family secure the compensation you deserve.
Contact us now for a free, confidential consultation to discuss your options. Your consultation will be kept secret, and it does not obligate you to hire our law firm or file a claim.
