After Crash With Inexperienced Big-Rig Driver, Family Who Lost Son Calls For Change

Washington, D.C. (Law Firm Newswire) December 31, 2014 – The family of a deceased 25-year-old California man is calling for major changes to the trucking industry.

Daniel McGuire was killed in July when a big-rig driver with little experience lost control of his truck on a steep and windy California road. McGuire’s parents say that the trucking company should have known not to assign an inexperienced driver, transporting a 25-ton load, to one of the Bay Area’s most difficult routes at rush hour.

“The trucking company had a responsibility to only put safe drivers and safe vehicles on the road,” commented David Lietz, a truck accident lawyer not involved with the case. “At the scene, the driver said that the brakes failed completely. And he had little experience driving these kinds of trucks. There are a lot of questions around how much effort the owner of the trucking company put into overseeing drivers and vehicles.”

The family has filed a lawsuit, alleging that the trucking company negligently maintained the vehicle. They also allege that the company was negligent in the hiring, training and supervision of the driver. Others on the road that day were injured in the accident and are filing separate lawsuits.

Beyond the lawsuit, the McGuire family is fighting to change the trucking industry to prevent similar accidents. They have begun a petition to change licensing regulations for truck drivers. In the petition, they call for graduated licensing that would prevent inexperienced drivers from being assigned to the most challenging routes.

“Sadly, this industry is driven by profit margins, and many trucking companies will cut corners when they think they can get away with it,” remarked Lietz. “Hopefully, this lawsuit, and the family’s campaign, can send a message to the industry.”

The lawsuit, McGuire v. Saini Bros. Trucking et al., was filed in the Superior Court of California in Monterey County.