If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, one of the first things worth learning about is what kind of license the driver was required to carry. Louisiana law sets strict requirements for commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs), violations of which can play a significant role in your personal injury case in terms of making it easier to establish liability.
Louisiana recognizes three classes of CDLs that authorize a driver to operate different kinds of vehicles based on weight and purpose. On top of that, certain jobs require additional endorsements before a driver can legally get behind the wheel. Here’s a closer look at how the system works and when it might be wise to hire an attorney to help you through the process.
CDL Classes in Louisiana
The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) issues commercial driver’s licenses in three classes. Each one corresponds to a specific vehicle weight range per La. Stat. Ann. § 32:401 and subsequent statutes.
Class A
This license covers combination vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) over 26,001 pounds, where the towed vehicle weighs more than 10,000 pounds. Think tractor-trailers and large flatbeds. A Class A CDL also allows the holder to operate vehicles that fall under the Class B or Class C categories.
Class B
This license is for single vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 26,001 pounds. Any trailer being towed must weigh under 10,000 pounds. Dump trucks, large buses, and box trucks used for local deliveries are common examples.
Class C
This class applies to vehicles that don’t meet the weight thresholds for Class A or B but are designed to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver) or to transport hazardous materials. School buses often fall into this category.
If the driver who caused your accident was operating a vehicle without the correct class of CDL, that fact could strengthen your claim significantly.
Endorsements That Drivers May Be Required to Carry
Depending on what a commercial driver is hauling or who they’re transporting, they may also need one or more endorsements added to their CDL. To earn an endorsement, a driver must typically complete a training course and pass an additional exam.
Some of the most common endorsements include:
- H for hazardous materials
- N for tanker vehicles carrying liquids or gases in bulk
- T for double and triple trailers (Class A only)
- P for passenger transport
- S for school buses
- X for a combined tanker and hazmat certification
A missing or expired endorsement is another detail that could factor into legal responsibility after a crash as well. For example, if a driver was hauling hazardous materials without an H endorsement, that violation could serve as strong evidence of negligence.
What It Takes To Get a CDL in Louisiana
Louisiana has several baseline requirements that every CDL applicant must meet:
- Be at least 18 years old to drive commercially within Louisiana, or 21 to cross state lines
- Hold a valid Louisiana driver’s license
- Pass a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical and obtain a Medical Examiner’s Certificate
- Get a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) by passing a written knowledge test through the OMV
- Hold the CLP for a minimum of 14 days before taking the road skills test for a full CDL
Operating a commercial vehicle without the proper license can lead to fines of up to $5,000 and even jail time. More importantly, if an unlicensed or improperly licensed driver causes an accident, it can have a direct impact on the victim’s ability to recover compensation.
Contact the Shreveport Truck Accident Lawyer at Desiah Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Truck accidents often involve serious injuries and complex questions about licensing, training, and commercial vehicle safety. If the truck driver who caused your crash lacked the proper CDL or required endorsement, that information may play an important role in your claim.
For more information, please contact an experienced truck accident lawyer at Desiah Injury Lawyers at the nearest location for a consultation.
Desiah Injury Lawyers – Shreveport Office
333 Texas St Suite Suite 1300, Shreveport, LA 71101
(318) 252-3034
Desiah Injury Lawyers – New Orleans Office
201 St Charles Ave #2500, New Orleans, LA 70170
(504) 553 3047
