Missouri Truck Accident Lawyer Blog

Many Missourians still remember the fatal Missouri school bus accident that occurred more than a year ago on I-44. The Missouri multivehicle traffic accident involved two school buses, a tractor cab without a trailer, and a pickup truck.

The Missouri school bus accident resulted in two deaths. Female high school student Jessica Binker, 15, died in the accident. Daniel Schatz, the 19 year old driving the pickup truck, also died during the collision. Up to 50 additional people suffered injuries as a result of the accident. The students from the John F. Hodge High School band were on their way to Six Flags when the tragic accident occurred.

Now, two bus drivers were arraigned for criminal charges related to the accident. 76 year old bus driver Katherine Shackelford and 29 year old bus driver Kelly McEnnish-Mullenix have been charged with careless and impudent driving.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Shackelford inattentively crashed into the rear of the non-moving pickup truck. McEnnish-Mullenix slammed the second school bus in the back of the first school bus. The force of the impact pushed the pickup truck into the non-moving tractor cab.

The criminal case resulting from the fatal Missouri bus accident will be heard by Judge David Hoven. A hearing is scheduled for this December. Neither defendant appeared for the arraignment that occurred this week.

Last year’s fatal Missouri school bus accident is sadly just one example of the devastation that occurs as a result of dangerous driving distractions in Missouri. Experienced drivers may feel that driving is an automatic process, but driving is complex. Drivers must monitor their speed, adapt to the curvature of the road, and monitor dynamic traffic conditions. Even the most experienced drivers need to actively pay attention while driving.

Missouri distracted driving increases the risk of a serious traffic accident. If a bus driver is talking to a passenger, using a mobile communication device, altering GPS input, or eating while driving, the bus driver is not devoting an appropriate amount of attention to the road. If there are any unexpected road conditions, such as non-moving vehicles on an interstate highway, the distracted bus driver may not have ample time to respond.

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Theresa D. Culberson, 41, of Jackson, Missouri was moderately injured in a Cape Girardeau Missouri truck accident on September 26, 2011 at 6:59am. The Missouri truck accident occurred on U.S. Highway 61, south of Route C.

Culberson was driving southbound on US-61 in a 2004 Mercury when a 1982 Kenworth tractor trailer pulled out of a private driveway in front of her. Culberson crashed into the trailer unit. Culberson suffered the only reported in the Cape Girardeau Missouri truck accident. She was transported to the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

Motorists should be alert whenever operating a motor vehicle near a tractor trailer. While tractor trailers are equipped with multiple mirrors to help the truck driver see the roadway, the truck driver’s ability to see other vehicles is far less than ideal. Tractor trailers have massive blind spots – deemed “No Zones” by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an arm of the United States Department of Transportation.

Tractor trailers have more No Zones than typical passenger vehicles. For example, passenger car drivers may be able to see a person walking directly in front of their vehicle. Tractor trailer drivers cannot, on account of the large No Zone in front of tractor trailers. Tractor trailers have No Zones on either side, the rear, and the back. The FMCSA warns that the side No Zone on the right is particularly dangerous because tractor trailers make wide right turns. Motorists should avoid the No Zones of tractor trailers to avoid serious injury or even death.

Continue reading " Jackson Woman Injured in Cape Girardeau County Truck Crash " »

A double Missouri tractor trailer accident resulted in a tractor trailer separation that blocked a highway. The Marion County Missouri truck accident occurred on September 26, 2011 at 6:28am.

The early morning truck accident began as a 2001 Freightliner followed a 2006 Kenworth on U.S. Highway 35 at Route DD, 12 miles west of Hannibal, Missouri. The Missouri double truck accident occurred when the Kenworth slowed to attempt a right turn. The Freightliner slammed into the back of Kenworth. The Freightliner’s tractor and trailer units separated during the impact. The tractor came to rest in the median of the highway while the trailer blocked eastbound traffic.

Raymond Nanneman of Salisbury, Missouri sustained moderate injuries in the accident. He was transported to Hannibal Regional Hospital by Marion County EMS. There are no other reported injuries for accident.

A Missouri double truck accident occurs when two tractor trailers collide into one another. Missouri double truck accidents are dangerous for both truck drivers as well as the broader public. A single tractor trailer may weigh as much as 40 tons, equivalent to 80,000 lbs. When two of these massive vehicles collide, the forces are tremendous. The trucks may cause extensive damage to each other. Truck drivers and occupants of other vehicles may suffer physical injuries as well.

Double truck accidents may seriously injure members of the public. The force of the impact may push the tractor trailers into passenger vehicles on the same roadway. Passenger vehicles do not often fare well in a collision with a single tractor trailer. Passenger vehicles offer even less protection for their occupants when multiple tractor trailers crash into the same vehicle.

The forces of a double truck accident may also cause trailers to separate, as in the above accident. Heavy trailers travelling unattached to their tractor cab seriously endanger drivers, passengers, and pedestrians nearby. A single trailer that is fully loaded weighs more than an occupied passenger car. When a trailer is uncontrolled an near the public, serious injury and property damage may result.

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A truck driver from Craig, Missouri was injured in a Missouri truck accident on September 23, 2011. The Holt County Missouri truck accident highlights the important role that commercial motor vehicle maintenance plays in preventing injurious accidents.

William H. Stone, 42, of Craig, Missouri was driving northbound on U.S. Highway 59 in a 2003 Peterbilt Concrete Mixer. The Missouri truck accident occurred when the left front tire of concrete truck blew out. Stone lost control of the concrete truck, crossed the centerline, and drove off the side of the roadway. The truck crashed into an embankment, then a fence. The truck caught fire as it traveled into a nearby corn field. The accident concluded as the truck came to rest on the passenger side.

Stone was moderately injured in the accident. He was transported to Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph by Atchison-Holt ambulance. Stone had to be assisted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Holt County Sheriff’s Department, Craig Fire Department, and Fairfax Fire Department.

Trucking companies must properly maintain their vehicles in order to prevent Missouri trucking accidents. Commercial motor vehicles must be regularly inspected and serviced to function properly. Negligently maintained commercial motor vehicles may malfunction in a way that causes a serious traffic accident.

Tires are vital for commercial motor vehicle safety. The tires of large commercial vehicles like tractor trailers and concrete mixers carry tremendous weight. Tires with that level of burden must be maintained and replaced appropriately. If trucking companies fail to take tire maintenance seriously, a tire blowout may cause a serious accident. Not only are tire blowout accidents potentially devastating, they are preventable. Trucking companies must maintain their fleet.

Continue reading " Tire Blowout Causes Fiery Holt County Missouri Truck Accident " »

The federal government recently evaluated the cost and effectiveness of the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) program in Missouri. The CSA is a federal initiative designed to strengthen the safety of the nation’s public roadways. The CSA aims to improve the safety of large trucks and trucking companies, thereby reducing the property damage, serious injury, and death associated with Missouri tractor trailer accidents. The CSA is a new model for the enforcement and compliance of federal motor carrier regulations. The federal government hopes that an efficient, cost-effective, nationwide system for motor carrier safety will prevent and reduce Missouri 18 wheeler accidents.

In recent months, the federal government released an independent evaluation of the CSA from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). The UMTRI evaluation showed that the new CSA program improved the federal government’s ability to enforce federal motor carrier regulations. The evaluation focused on four test states: Missouri, Colorado, Georgia, and New Jersey. UMTRI conducted its evaluation there for 29 months. As the evaluation showed that the CSA improved compliance with safety regulations, several more states were added: Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Delaware, and Montana.

The CSA evaluation is good news for the safety of Missouri’s public roadways. For example, the CSA program provides the federal government a cost-effective way to intervene with an unsafe trucking company. The evaluation showed that 83% of motor carriers resolved the safety issued identified through CSA interventions. CSA on-site focused investigations dramatically reduced the number of motor carriers with continuous safety problems. When the government can enforce regulations designed to improve the safety of Missouri roads, fewer Missourians lose their lives to Missouri trucking accidents.

Despite the government’s best efforts, some trucking companies insist on unsafe motor carrier operations. Despite the success of CSA interventions, 17% of unsafe motor carriers continued to have safety problems after 12 months. In addition, Missouri had the highest number of crashes during the evaluation period – 2,466. Missouri truck accidents pose a serious risk of danger to Missourians, even as improved safety monitoring takes effect.

The legal implications of Missouri semi-trailer accidents are more complicated than typical traffic accidents. Federal motor carrier regulations, employer liability doctrines, and contractor relationships may complicate the truck accident victim’s claim for compensation. Truck accident victims need experienced Missouri truck accident attorneys to represent their interests in litigation and settlement negotiations.

Specialists from a Kansas hazardous material (hazmat) team were called in to clean up a fuel spill caused by a Missouri tanker truck accident. Nearly 8,000 gallons of fuel leaked onto the roadway after a tanker truck overturned. The fuel spill closed down Route F and Highway 6. The Missouri tanker truck accident occurred Sunday morning, but the roadways were not reopened until after midnight.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) maintains a federal hazmat program to reduce the risk that hazmat accidents pose to the public and to the environment. The hazmat program works to decrease the number of Missouri tanker truck accidents by promulgating and enforcing regulations.

Hazmat regulations reduce the risk of dangerous Missouri tanker truck accidents by conducting inspections and by imposing penalties on unsafe hazmat carriers. Hazmat transporters are subject to unannounced inspections. An inspection may occur after a non-frivolous complaint was filed with a safety agency. The FMCSA may also conduct an inspection after other government agencies – like the Department of Homeland Security – launch special investigations targeting particular radioactive or explosive materials.

Any hazmat violations discovered in an unannounced inspection may result in civil or criminal penalties. Civil penalties range from $275 to $32,500. Criminal penalties are $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for corporations. Monetary penalties aim to deter Missouri tanker truck accidents. Hazmat carriers who do not care about the environment or the safety of the public are likely to care about their financial bottom-line. Imposing financial sanctions on negligent, unsafe hazmat corporations and truckers deters them from causing future accidents.

Personal injury lawsuits deter negligent corporations and truck drivers as well. If a truck driver or corporation injures someone in an accident by failing to comply with hazmat regulations, the accident victim may recover compensation for her injuries. When trucking companies and truck drivers cause an accident through particularly egregious conduct, the accident victim may recover punitive damages for the accident. Punitive damages are penalties above and beyond the amount needed to compensate the accident victim. The potential for punitive damages acts as another deterrent to prevent Missouri truck accidents.

Continue reading " Kirksville Missouri Tanker Truck Accident Causes Fuel Spill " »

The National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB) issued safety recommendations to several federal agencies after significant investigations. The NTSB recommends that the federal government enact a mobile phone device for commercial motor vehicle operators, with an exception for emergency use. This safety recommendation aims to reduce the number of Missouri truck accidents caused by Missouri distracted driving.

The NTSB’s recommendation follows an investigation into a destructive semitrailer truck accident that killed 11 people. The tractor trailer crossed a 60-foot highway median, crashed through a cable barrier, crossed oncoming traffic to crash into a passenger van with 12 people inside. The truck driver and 10 van occupants were killed in the accident.

The NTSB determined that mobile phone use was the probable cause of the accident. The truck driver had made four phone calls just before the crash. In the 24 hour period preceding the accident, the truck used his mobile phone to make calls or send text messages nearly 70 times.

The NTSB submitted the recommendation to a number of federal agencies. The Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received the recommendation. The mobile device ban recommendation will not become law unless it is adopted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Mobile phone restrictions for commercial motor vehicle drivers are increasing as research shows that mobile phone use is cause of Missouri truck accidents. Missouri bans commercial drivers from texting while driving. 34 other stands have similar bans. If the FMCSA adopted this recommendation, truck drivers around the nation would not able to text while operating a commercial motor vehicle.

Government regulation may incite backlash from industry professionals. However, some industry professionals are comfortable with a ban on texting while driving for truck drivers. Ozark truck drivers say that truck drivers make too many decisions to text or make phone calls on the road. One truck driver compared tractor trailers to 80,000 lb. missiles.

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12 year old Austin C. Tipton was injured in a Greene County Missouri side collision truck accident on September 13, 2011 at 3:20pm. 48 year old Lorie R. Tipton was also injured in the Missouri side collision truck accident.

The accident occurred as Missouri truck driver Frank D. Arnall of Ash Grove attempted to pass the Tipton vehicle on Evergreen Road, near Strafford. Arnall was operating a 1998 Peterbilt tractor trailer. Lorie Tipton made a left turn in a 2008 Chevrolet. The tractor trailer slammed into the side of the Tipton.

The Tiptons were taken to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Missouri for medical treatment. Both Lorie Tipton and Austin Tipton wore a seatbelt during the Missouri side collision truck accident. The highway patrol did not report any injuries for the truck driver. The Chevrolet driven by Lorie Tipton was totaled.

When a semi-truck or tractor trailer crashes into the side of a smaller vehicle, the smaller vehicle and its occupants are at a great disadvantage. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), less than 200 large truck occupants died in multivehicle traffic accidents in 2009. More than 2,500 other vehicle occupants died in fatal truck accidents that same year.

Crash reports for Missouri side collision truck accidents further evidence the disparity between large truck occupants and other vehicle occupants. Occupants of the passenger cars may be transported to the hospital for medical treatment while the commercial truck driver is not injured. The passenger car may be totaled while the tractor trailer sustains lesser damage.

Passenger cars, light trucks, and SUVs are not designed to withstand Missouri side collision truck accidents. Structural safety features like crumple zones protect the interior of the vehicle from front- and rear-impact collisions, not side collisions. Occupants of the passenger vehicle in a side collision truck accident are likely to sustain injuries. Side impact airbags are still not standard in many vehicles. Sometimes, a car door is all that stands between the passenger car occupant and the tractor trailer. Side impact truck accident victims who sustain serious injuries should obtain medical treatment and legal representation to deal with the consequences of the accident.

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According to local reports, a truck driver from Joplin, Missouri caused multiple Missouri trucking accidents on I-64 near Mt. Vernon. 54 year old truck driver Larry Nunnaley operated a semi-trailer too fast for road conditions, even though the semi-trailer carried dozens of cattle. Nunnaley lost control of the semi-trailer on the Route 37 exit of I-64. The semi-trailer overturned, leading to 69 cattle escaping.

Nunnaley was not injured in the Saturday morning Missouri truck accident. However, the escaped cattle from his semi-trailer caused three additional Missouri truck accidents. According to officials from a local fire department, at least one of the drivers who crashed into a cow was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

The damage caused by a Missouri livestock truck accident may be extensive. Most passenger cars cannot withstand a direct collision with a large animal unscathed. Unfortunately, many Missourians have had to pay for expensive repairs after crashing into a wild deer. An animal-vehicle collision can break windshields, crush crumple zones, or even total a vehicle. Accident victims may sustain serious injuries as well. Yet, when accident victims hit completely wild animals they likely cannot recover compensation for their injuries.

Accident victims may be able to obtain compensation after hitting an animal that was owned by another person. If the animal was in the roadway because it escaped from its owner’s property, the owner may be strictly liable for the damage it caused in the accident. If the owner knew or should have known that the animal was likely to cause an accident (e.g. the animal escaped often, the fences were not properly maintained, etc.), the owner may be liable for all the damage caused by the animal.

Accident victims may be able to obtain compensation after a Missouri trucking accident that involves a large animal. Large commercial motor vehicles transport thousands of large animals each year. If the animals escape, they can wreak havoc on public highways. Truck drivers and trucking companies are responsible for making sure that cattle and other large animals are properly secured in vehicle. If the cattle escape and caused a traffic accident, the truck drivers and trucking companies may be liable. If the cattle escaped because the truck driver was driving recklessly, the accident victim may be able to prove that the damage sustained in the accident was directly caused by the truck driver’s negligence.

Continue reading " Joplin Missouri Truck Driver Causes Cattle Car Crashes on I-64 " »

Djuana L. Brown of Saint Louis, Missouri was injured in a Saint Charles County Missouri trucking accident when a tractor trailer ran a red light. The afternoon accident occurred at the intersection of Highway 94 and Port West Drive.

Ms. Brown, 38, attempted to make a left turn from Highway 94 onto Port West Drive in a 1996 Dodge Caravan. As Ms. Brown turned, truck driver Timothy W. Gihring of Granite City, Illinois ran a red light signal in a 2009 International truck. The front of the large truck crashed into the rear of Ms. Brown’s vehicle, causing a St. Charles County Missouri rear end truck accident.

The Missouri truck accident resulted in injuries for Ms. Brown. She was taken by the St. Charles County Ambulance to St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Missouri. Ms. Brown’s Dodge was totaled in the accident. The truck driver did not sustain any reported injuries in the accident. The tractor trailer only sustained minor damage.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 4,500 large trucks are involved in fatal traffic accidents in a single year. 74% of large trucks involved in fatal crashes are combination trucks, such as 18 wheelers. Injuries in a multivehicle Missouri truck accident are often catastrophic, especially for the occupants of the non-truck vehicles. Truck accident victims may suffer from severe neck injuries, spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and broken bones. The vehicles of the accident victims often sustain extensive or total damage. Most truck drivers are aware that Missouri truck accidents may cause life-altering consequences for accident victims. Most truck drivers avoid being negligent while operating large commercial motor vehicles. However, some truck drivers do not exercise due care to avoid an accident.

Missouri’s tort law allows truck accident victims to file suit against negligent truck drivers. Truck accident victims may recover three types of damage awards: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages. Economic damages are designed to compensate the truck accident victims for any financial loss caused by the accident. Economic damage awards cover financial losses such as medical expenses related to the accident, loss of wages, vehicle damage, etc. Non-economic damage awards allow the accident victim to recover for the pain and suffering endured as a result of the accident, loss of consortium, etc. Economic and non-economic damage awards are called “compensatory” damages because their purpose is to compensate the accident victim for losses sustained as a result of the accident.

Punitive damages may be awarded by the court in certain cases in which defendants should be deterred from and punished for the conduct that caused the accident. For example, a jury may award the accident victim punitive damages if the truck driver’s conduct was grossly negligent. When truck drivers engage in negligent behavior like running red lights, texting while driving, or driving while intoxicated, they are risking being subject to punitive damages.

Continue reading " St. Louis Woman Injured in St. Charles County Missouri Truck Accident " »

The federal government recently announced that state agencies will receive millions of dollars in a concerted effort to reduce the number of trucking accidents in Missouri and around the nation. After extensive research and discussion with state-level safety leaders, the federal government is awarding several states grant funds to bolster trucking safety. The federal grants are awarded by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

The FMCSA, an agency within the United States Department of Transportation, is a segment of the federal government designed to improve the safety of motor carriers operating in the United States. The FMCSA’s motor carrier regulations apply to commercial vehicles like semi-trucks, tractor trailers, and passenger buses among others. Motor carriers operating in violation of FMCSA regulations may be sanctioned. If a motor carrier commits a serious safety violation, the FMCSA may order the motor carrier to cease operation.

The FMCSA also provides grant funds to help other authorities monitor and improve trucking safety. For example, the North Dakota Highway Patrol will receive a trucking safety grant of $1,1963,108. According to the FMCSA, the North Dakota Highway Patrol will use this grant to “conduct compliance reviews, safety audits, and thousands of inspections” within its state as well as on its borders. The Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will receive a trucking safety grant of $7.9 million from the FMCSA. The multi-million grant will go toward monitoring high-crash traffic corridors, conducting safety audits of new commercial motor vehicles, and upgrading the licensing test for commercial motor vehicle drivers.

The FMCSA prides itself on its partnerships with state and local traffic safety agencies. However, the FMCSA has yet to announce traffics safety grants specifically for Missouri. Like many other states, Missouri loses too many of its citizens in fatal Missouri trucking accidents each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 800 Missourians were killed in fatal traffic accidents in 2009 alone.

Missouri law enforcement agencies and Missouri traffic safety agencies work hard to decrease the number of Missouri truck accidents. However, Missouri trucking accidents are not entirely preventable. Some trucking companies do not properly maintain their fleet despite federal regulations. Some truck drivers negligently operate commercial motor vehicles despite extensive safety training. If and when a Missouri trucking accident occurs, accident victims need skilled Missouri car accident lawyers to help them obtain compensation for their injuries.

Continue reading " FMCSA Announces Millions in Trucking Safety Grants to States " »

A 70 year old Wentzville woman was killed in a St. Charles County Missouri dump truck accident. Her husband witnessed the fatal Saint Charles County Missouri trucking accident from his vehicle, which was behind hers during the accident.

Shirley A. Kutter of Wentzville, Missouri stopped her 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser in the cross over section of Highway 61 at Peine Road. Kutter stopped her vehicle in the cross over to yield to emergency vehicles – a fire truck and an ambulance were near. After the emergency vehicles left her vicinity, Kutter pulled away from the median. The front of a 2007 Sterling Dump Truck slammed into her car.

Kutter was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident by EMS. Truck driver Robert W. Stone of O’Fallon, Missouri only sustained minor injuries in the accident. Kutter was with her husband before the accident, but they decided to take separate vehicles to their destination. According to local news reports, Kutter’s husband witnessed the entire accident. He was not physically harmed during the accident.

Fatal Missouri car accidents put substantial emotional strain on the accident victim’s surviving loved ones. Grief is linked to serious declines in both emotional and physical health. Bereaved adults are at risk of developing major depression, a serious psychiatric condition. Grief-related depression may cause adverse physical reactions such as dramatic weight gain or loss, changes in appetite, sleep problems, and suicidal thoughts. Bereaved individuals who actually witness the catastrophic death of a loved one may suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD symptoms include high levels of anxiety, nightmares, and “flashback” memories of the catastrophic event.

Fatal Missouri car accidents put an enormous financial strain on the accident victim’s spouse. If the accident victim received medical treatment for accident-related injuries before passing away, the victim’s spouse may face resulting medical bills. The victim’s spouse may have to struggle with the expenses incurred funereal expenses, which are most often unplanned for before the accident. The accident victim’s spouse must face these unexpected expenses without the benefit of the victim’s wages. If the accident victim’s spouse wants to pursue a Missouri wrongful death lawsuit, the threat of attorney’s fees may add to the pressure.

Accident victim spouses should consider hiring a personal injury attorney on a contingency basis. Missouri car accident lawyers who work on contingency do not charge for their services upfront. If the client wins a judgment or settles a case, a portion goes to the attorney as payment. If the client loses, the attorney does not charge. Contingency fees help accident victims and their loved ones by reducing their financial risk in their pursuit of compensation.

Continue reading " Husband Watches as Wife Killed in St. Charles Missouri Truck Accident " »

As employers, trucking companies are liable for the damages caused by Missouri trucking accidents. This liability is the result of the extent to which trucking companies affect traffic safety through the hiring, training, and supervision of truck drivers. Trucking companies hire truck drivers to operate large commercial motor vehicles on public roadways. Trucking companies are usually involved in the training of truck drivers. Trucking companies are principally responsible for supervising the safety of truck drivers. Trucking companies are additionally responsible for the maintenance of the large trucking vehicles that are operated by truck drivers.

Trucking companies play a large role in nationwide traffic safety, so trucking companies may be liable for negligent hiring, supervision, and training. For example, a trucking company may be found liable for negligently hiring if it knowingly hired truck drivers without valid licenses. Hiring a truck driver without performing a background check may be considered negligent hiring. Ignoring red flags on a truck driver’s record may also be negligent.

In order to help the trucking industry hire safe truck drivers with clean records, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has created the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP). The PSP is operated by the United States Department of Transportation. The PSP aims to decrease Missouri truck accidents by helping trucking companies make sound, informed, and responsible hiring decisions.

PSP records give trucking companies access to the crash and inspection histories of truck drivers. PSP records will include whether the trucker driver previously violated a trucking regulation. Whether the truck driver had previously been in a Missouri truck accident is also indicated in PSP. Using these records in hiring decisions may help trucking companies avoid liability for negligent hiring. The records are available online, keeping the program efficient and cost-effective.

The PSP charges trucking companies for access to PSP records to help cover the costs of the program. Trucking companies are charged an annual subscription fee of $100. The trucking company must pay an additional $10 per PSP record request. Trucking companies with fewer than 100 units only have to pay a reduced annual fee of $25. Individuals may also request that PSP records. Individuals pay $10 per personal driver history, but individuals do not have to pay a subscription fee.

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