Don Hess, president of DLH Associates, Inc. has been providing expert witness services including analysis of vehicle crashes to attorneys and other clients, since 1997. His specialty is crashes involving commercial motor vehicles, including trucks, tractor-trailers, buses, forklifts, and motorcycles.
Don has vast experience in hands-on training of commercial drivers, from basic driving and maneuvering skills to emergency driving skills and live skid pad training. He has been nationally recognized as a leader in safety and training issues, is a winner of the American Trucking Associations Million Mile Driving award and was awarded with the Truckload Carriers Association Lee Crittenden award in 2009. Over his long and successful career in trucking and education, he has held numerous national board and officer positions in prominent trucking and education associations. He was one of the charter members of the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools and a two-term president.
Don is uniquely qualified to analyze and comment on driver behavior in virtually any situation and has established a solid reputation as an expert witness in crashes involving trucks, cars, motorcycles, and a variety of commercial vehicles for both Plaintiff and Defense nearly five hundred cases in state and federal courts nationwide since 1997. His experience includes significant deposition and trial testimony. Don possesses a unique combination of training and skills, hands-on experience, and education that combine to position him as a leading expert in all facets of trucking. Don still maintains a Class A Commercial Driver License fully endorsed for Doubles -Triples, Tankers, Bus, Motorcycle, and Hazardous Materials, as well as current USDOT Medical Certificate.
With nearly two million miles of safe cross-country trucking experience, combined with over 25 years as a driver trainer, Don is well-qualified to provide analysis of what drivers are trained to do in specific situations and circumstances, what federal and state regulations call for and require, and all aspects of the safe and proper operation of commercial motor vehicles. As a motorcyclist with over 45 years of riding and training experience, he is also qualified to comment on accidents involving motorcycles.