What Does PSP Stand for in Trucking?
In the trucking industry, PSP stands for pre-employment screening. This is a service offered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Not every trucking company takes advantage of PSP, but there are many benefits to doing so.
Information Gathered by PSP
Most people need to know what PSP stands for in Trucking. . Pre-Employment Screening Program strives to gather as much information about commercial drivers as possible. Its website details a driver’s accident history and inspection history and makes it easily available to potential employers.
If a driver was involved in a crash or required an inspection, their report will contain all of the details. A trucking company requesting the report can learn about injuries or fatalities. The report will also contain information about the state of the driver’s vehicle and whether or not it had to be put out of service.
This can help a trucking company make a more informed decision when hiring a driver. A firm that wants to keep the road safe for other motorists would want to hire a driver with the same commitment. So, knowing more about potential hires can help a company keep its safety record in good shape.
Benefits of PSP
According to the FMCSA, the use of PSP does make a tangible difference. Recent data reports that a company that uses PSP to screen its new hires could lower its crash rate by eight percent. They can also lower their driver out-of-service rates, sometimes by as much as 17 percent.
PSP does not just make it easy for trucking companies to access data about drivers. It also makes it easy for the drivers themselves to request a report about their driving history. Each report contains five years of crash data and three years of inspection data. This can allow a driver to keep tabs on their own record and fight back against any false information that may have been reported.
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Is This Screening Mandatory?
Unfortunately, despite the benefits that the Pre-Employment Screening Program has to offer, it is not a mandatory part of the hiring process. Trucking companies can choose whether or not they seek out a report on a potential hire. If they do not request a report, they may be hiring a new employee without getting some important information about them.
Liability Is Important in Accident Cases for Compensation
An accident involving a heavy truck can be far more dangerous than an accident involving only passenger vehicles. It is not uncommon for accidents with trucks to cause serious injuries or even death.
This is why trucks are so heavily regulated by agencies like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It is also why FMCSA and other government regulators have tried to make more information available to trucking companies in recent years, like with programs such as PSP. The goal is to create a safe road for all motorists.
Trucking companies that do not follow the rules or use all of the information available to them when making hires could create more dangerous situations for other drivers. If this negligence or inaction leads to an accident, the company could be held liable.
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If You Have Been in a Truck Accident, You Have Options
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an accident with a truck, you could pursue damages. If someone else is at fault for your accident, you could be compensated for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning potential
- Past and future pain and suffering
It can be hard to prove negligence in some cases, but information about driver history available through the PSP could potentially help some accident victims make their case. A driver with a history of accidents and a trucking company that does not bother to screen its drivers could be established as negligent.
The complexity of a trucking accident case could even result in multiple parties being held accountable for a motor vehicle collision that has caused injuries or death.
Learn More About Your Legal Options
If you have suffered injuries in an accident with a truck, you could learn more about your legal options. Contact Isaacs & Isaacs Personal Injury Lawyers to get a free consultation. We could tell you about the value of your case and guide you through what to do after the accident.
Making a case on your own can be difficult, but we have the resources to look into the actions of a trucking company and driver. We will sift through the data offered by the PSP and other resources to learn more about all parties involved. If anyone was negligent, your lawyer would do everything possible to hold them accountable. Reach out to our law firm today.
