accidents

I think sometimes there are grey area's, and it's not always black and white. That's I think how that goes. I know that's not the best answer ever, but it's all I got.

 

Almost all accidents are preventable by at least one of the parties involved.

Someone rear ends you while stopped at a red light would be preventable on their part, not on yours.

 

Id clarify it with the company, but I think they are asking for accidents that you could have prevented? All the apps I ever filled out as a company driver just asked "Have you ever been charged for an Accident"

 

All accidents are preventable by someone. Definition of accident, someone screwed up.
A crash on the other hand, you are minding your own business, when all of a sudden, Bam ! Fate pulls the rug out from under you.

 

A preventable accident is an accident where you the PROFESSIONAL driver could have done and should have done something to prevent it. A non preventable accident is where someone else did something to cause the accident and you could not have taken any action that would have avoid it.

This is not a legal term it is more a matter of opinion. A companies safety committee will make the judgement call. Most likely they will judge everything against you. Why? Because they can.

 

A roll over is preventable. As your first duty as a professional is to always pay attention and AVOID accidents.

Usually if you make contact with ANYTHING that is NOT moving and YOU ARE MOVING... PREVENTADAMNABLE.

If anything runs into you from the ### end you better show that you are operating the rig normally and not doing a severe brake check etc.

Failure to take a mountain escape ramp and flying off the mountain destroying the rig, load etc on hot brakes is preventable.

Crossing a weight restricted bridge is preventable. If you break bridge and die doing it, your estate might be buying a new bridge after Probate gets through with you.

 

What they're asking for on job apps is if you've ever been charged with any preventables by your company or their independent review panel. If they deemed it a "preventable", that's what makes it a preventable. Really, as simple as that.

I've sat in on a few of those meetings as the "independent advisor" (requirement with our company) and some of the things we charged guys with a preventable for didn't seem fair to me but the safety guy heard the case and made his decision. Just like that, ya got a preventable that now you have to list on job apps

Fair? Hardly! But that's it in a nutshell. And just like this thread has (and will continue to have) many differing opinions on what is and what isn't a preventable, so will company safety czars. But his decision is final.

 

In black and white, sorta.

https://s0.hfdstatic.com/p/losscontrol/files/private/1287778804968.pdf

 

Drivers are on here every day saying they were in an accident and "there was nothing they could do to prevent it"

They are trying to ascertain if the applicant is a screw-up, or, are they very "unlucky" and tend to often end up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

But imagine passing through the middle of a green light cycle and someone crosses their red light and hits your truck in the middle of the intersection. Obviously it was a non-preventible for one, and a preventable for another, but in reality most incidents were due to poor choices, actions, or inactions by one or more parties.