Can the trucking company be held responsible for a crash caused by its driver?

Yes, in many cases, the trucking company can be held responsible. Under a legal principle called vicarious liability, an employer is often responsible for the negligent actions of its employees while they are on the job. Additionally, a company could be directly negligent if it failed to properly train a driver, encouraged drivers to violate hours-of-service rules, or did not properly maintain its vehicles.