Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Personal Injury Law Blogs -> Trucking Accident Attorney Blog

Personal Injury Law

: Trucking Accident Attorney Blog

St. Louis Truck Driving School Accused of Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Commercial Drivers Licenses

By Jeffrey Lowe

A St. Louis truck driving school that allegedly engaged in a bribing and testing scheme to ensure their students passed the commercial driving test, trial began on Monday.

Mustafa Redzic, the owner of Bosna Driving School, allegedly promised his students -- many of whom were Bosnian immigrants -- that they?d be able to obtain a commercial drivers license in a few days rather than several weeks, that their ability to read English would not be a problem and even that a lack of driving skill wouldn?t stand in the way.

Prosecutors claim that in return for the $3,000 tuition, Redzic drove his students to his school and that he bribed a private licensing facility, Sikeston-based Commercial Drivers Training Academy, to ensure the students passed the written and driving portions of the test. Nearly $2 million and hundreds of students were allegedly involved.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

?Redzic himself grew worried about some students, he later told investigators ? students he knew were hazards behind the wheel of what he called an ?80,000 pound bullet.??

The charges stem from a 2004 investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation?s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The task force was looking for terrorists who might turn trucks hauling hazardous materials into bombs. What they uncovered ? allegedly unqualified drivers allowed to barrel down the highway in an 18-wheeler ? is also deadly problem. But it isn?t an isolated one.

As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes, a 2002 report by the U.S. Transportation Department warned that state and federal regulations were not enough to protect against the ?alarming threat? posed by people who obtained fake truck driver licenses.

Because of the bribery scandals, Missouri ordered 2,500 commercial license holders to retake the test. The state legislature has also moved to end the practice of allowing private facilities to administer the commercial driving test.

If you or a loved one has been injured or a family member has been killed in a collision with a large truck, we urge you to contact The Lowe Law Firm. Our trucking-accident attorneys will find out whether the truck driver, trucking company, or trailer owner is responsible for the accident. If so, we will then seek compensation for future and other related medical expenses, future and other affected wages, pain and suffering, disability and/or other related damages.

An initial free consultation with The Lowe Law Firm attorneys for victims of trucking or truck related accidents is available. Appointments can take place at our office, at the hospital, or in the privacy of your home.

Contact The Lowe Law Firm Missouri/Illinois trucking-accident lawyers online or by calling 877-678-3400.

Visit our Truck-Accident Information Center.

Full post as published by Trucking Accident Attorney Blog on April 01, 2008 (boomark / email).