I witnessed a crash and just kept going. Should I have stopped?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Trucks66, Nov 22, 2022.

  1. Trucks66

    Trucks66 Light Load Member

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    So I'm at a red light early in the morning at an intersection with an old school muscle hot rod constantly revving his car on the left of me with his girlfriend/wife in the passenger seat. It's a two-lane turn. We're both about to make a left turn and literally immediately when the light turns green, the hot rod on the left of me absolutely guns it and there is another car coming from the opposite side. It appears the car coming from the opposite side ran the light. The driver who ran the light ended up hitting the hot rod that was in front of me while making the left turn.

    I was the only witness to the crash, but instead of stopping, I just kept going and went on about my way, because frankly I've had a long and frustrating day getting unloaded and dealing with rude receivers, running low on my clock and I just did not want to deal with it so I just kept going. I didn't even call it in.

    Should I have stopped or did I do the right thing by keep going?
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2022
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  3. Coover

    Coover Road Train Member

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    Not your problem. If you stayed it would have been blamed on you, cuz you know truck drivers fault
     
  4. Lennythedriver

    Lennythedriver Road Train Member

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    Unless I saw like mangled bodies That needed assistance, I would’ve kept going myself. If you’re not involved in the accident, you’re not involved. There’s no upside for you to stop. Trust me, if there’s any possible wild scenario that they can pin part of the accident on a truck driver, they will.
     
  5. Lyle H

    Lyle H Road Train Member

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    What if you were one of the vehicles involved in an accident? And you knew you were not at fault? And the only witness that could back up your story just drove off. Wouldn’t it be nice to have somebody to back up your story?
     
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  6. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    I would have done the same. Accident lawyers would love for you to stop, even if you weren't hit. They'd go over your logs and paperwork and say you shouldn't have been in that particular spot at that particular time and you blocked the view of one of the cars and caused the wreck.
    One company where I worked, the safety man was a retired state trooper and he warned us about situations like that.
     
  7. Gomer1969

    Gomer1969 Light Load Member

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    I've witnessed accidents and then kept on going but I did call the police to give them my information and tell them what I saw. I just explain I'm in a tractor trailer and there was no safe place for me to park. Never had any issues doing it this way.
     
  8. lester

    lester Midwest's #1 Feed Hauler

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    Was there anyone else around that would have seen the accident after the fact? How serious was the hit? 3 people could be laying there dying and everyone is just going to drive right by. All the other vehicles on the road are just going to assume someone else will call it in? Incredible..
     
  9. Trucks66

    Trucks66 Light Load Member

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    Airbags were deployed. No one was opening their doors. It is a busy intersection, but the streets were empty at that particular time. I was the only vehicle there to witness it. When I did complete the left turn, there were a lot of cars heading that way.
     
  10. Trucks66

    Trucks66 Light Load Member

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    Interesting... I guess I was right to go about my business.
     
  11. GreenPete359

    GreenPete359 Road Train Member

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    I would have kept riding too. You can very quickly make something that’s not your problem, your problem.
     
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