The drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMV), also known as semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, and big rigs, play an important role in the U.S. economy. From transporting important cargo across the country to keeping online businesses alive, truckers keep the economy going, especially this past year. The job may seem fairly straightforward—drive from one destination to another—but truckers have a large responsibility to uphold to both the companies that they work for and others on the road. Because these 18-wheelers are so large and powerful, the drivers of these massive vehicles are required to obtain a special license, known as a commercial driver’s license (CDL), and run the risk of facing harsher criminal penalties than the average driver for committing traffic violations.
CDL Disqualifications
It is no secret that semis take up a large portion of the road and make other drivers nervous due to their large size and fast speed on Texas highways. This fear of CMVs is not unwarranted, as 39,193 crashes involving semi-trucks occurred in 2019 in Texas alone. That year, 613 Texans were killed by these massive vehicles. Law enforcement recognizes that CMVs can easily place other drivers at risk of injury or death as soon as they join the road. In an effort to keep commercial drivers in check, there are a number of traffic offenses that can leave drivers without their CDL, including the following:
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