The current driver shortage is only expected to worsen as more drivers either retire or leave the industry. Temptation to deviate from your standard driver recruiting criteria to find a driver to fill the empty seats will be strong.
While we know what MVR violations are disqualifying, what violations are the most likely to cost you money in increased insurance cost and deductibles? According to the American Transportation Research Institute, the following violations can give you a good place to start:
| Conviction |
Increase in Crash Likelihood |
| Failure to use/improper signals | 96% |
| Past crash | 88% |
| Improper passing | 88% |
| Improper turn | 84% |
| Improper/erratic lane change | 80% |
| Improper lane location | 68% |
| Failure to obey traffic sign | 68% |
| Speeding 15+ over limit | 67% |
| Any conviction | 65% |
| Reckless/careless/inattentive/ negligent driving |
64% |
While excess speeding and reckless driving are down on the list as far as increased likelihood, they are also dangerous. In the event of a serious at-fault crash, the plaintiff attorneys will certainly look to use that violation to portray the driver in a negative light. If negligence in the driver hiring process can be proved, the potential settlement/verdict amount will typically be much higher.
Finding good, qualified, safe truck drivers is a challenge. Driver recruiting will continue to be a wicked problem for the industry moving into the future. Deviating from your driver hiring criteria may solve your problem and fill the seat, but could create another problem by sparking higher accident/insurance costs.
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