Accidents & Penalties, how does it affect your career?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Zanadu, Feb 24, 2021.

  1. Zanadu

    Zanadu Bobtail Member

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    I have a question regarding accidents. If a trucker is involved in an accident but is not considered to be an at fault accident how does this impact his career ?. Do most trucking companies only penalize drivers for at fault accidents or do you also get dinged for any accident regardless of fault
     
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  3. tallguy66

    tallguy66 Medium Load Member

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    A lot of “not at fault” accidents are still preventable.
     
  4. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Most companies will not fire you for an accident you are not at fault for. That being said, did the driver have a history of accidents/incidents already? That could have some bearing on how they handle things. .
    Another thing to consider is that for truckers an accident is either preventable or non-preventable. If there is something that a driver could have reasonable done to avoid the accident, and he did not do it, then it could be ruled to be preventable, even if the other driver is found to be at fault and cited. When you go to get another job having a couple non-preventables in the last 3 years or so may not hurt. On the other hand, if they were preventable...
     
  5. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    Off topic but is that your long hair mini dachshund in your avatar
     
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  6. Zanadu

    Zanadu Bobtail Member

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    So you can have an accident that is not your fault but can still be ruled as preventable? Or you could have an accident that is non-preventable and also not at fault?
     
  7. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Yep but he's not a mini. And he'll be 16 years old in April. The was taken 6 yers ago.
    LD022.JPG
     
  8. Brettj3876

    Brettj3876 Road Train Member

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    Ahh ok he looked like one in the pic. Our mini is only 13 pounds. 8 years old.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Lunatic Fringe

    Lunatic Fringe Medium Load Member

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    You keep going back to, “at fault” - that’s not really a thing with a CMV. There are accidents and incidents. They are either preventable or non-preventable. Yes, even if another driver caused the accident the CDL driver can be hit with a preventable if he could have done something differently to avoid the accident.
     
  10. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    Like shutting down in some kind of bad weather, instead of continuing to drive.

    Preventable means you 'could have' done something differently to avoid the accident.
    'Could have' could be almost anything within the range of thought.

    The saying goes...
    Hindsight is 20/20.
    Meaning, if you knew then what you know now things might have been different.

    The deck is stacked against us, in any/every case.
     
  11. Lunatic Fringe

    Lunatic Fringe Medium Load Member

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    Just to be clear - are we talking about accidents while driving a car or while driving a CMV?
     
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