My first accident in 39 yrs...

I wish you the best, with an impressive record like that I think you'll be able to find a job without to much trouble.

 

maybe a dashcam in this case would have been a good thing? i know alot of drivers hate them, with the concerns over their privacy, but there is some value in them. i have one in mine for exactly this reason. paid for it out of my own pocket so that if anything happens, there is a video record of the event. i pray that i never need it. hope you have a full recovery. take care.

 

The insurance adjuster pretty much echoed what I was taught when I started driving. "Keep the truck in your lane. If somebody does something stupid in front of you, apply the brakes and pray you don't kill them, but keep your truck in your lane. If you leave your lane to miss them and either turn yourself over in the ditch or take out another vehicle, it is YOUR fault. The knucklehead that caused it wasn't involved, won't stop, and therefore does not exist. If you hit them, sure...you'll probably still get a ticket, but at least with them sitting there at the scene with their $#!t wrecked too, you'll have a CHANCE of convincing the cop what really happened...."

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

 

Hope you get better... I fractured L4 and that was no fun either...

 

To the OP,

Sorry to hear about the injuries. Speedy recovery.




To the other readers.

Talking with a friend of mine from the guard YEARS ago who retired and sold insurance. He pretty much convinced me from all the claims he's worked, the best thing to do when faced with something like this, STAY IN YOUR LANE and STOP. Don't swerve. Let the vehicle cage do it's job. Especially with the airbags in modern cars.


1997 I had a lady cross the center line and the on-coming car swerved to avoid it. The car that crossed the center line never was involved in an accident but enough witnesses saw it and reported the license plate to the sheriff and police officer at the accident.

The on-coming car swerved, lost control and finally hit me.

Neither of us were cited for the accident and the insurance companies charged it to the lady who lost control of her car.

The lady who crossed the center line admitted it to an officer when confronted and she was cited for leaving the scene of the accident and wreckless driving.



Sometimes, the best thing you can do is just hit the brakes and stop. What happens at that point happens.


As was said, NEVER leave your lane. Best thing you can do is stop. Shoulders aren't designed to be driven on. Only direct the accident that's coming. Those slopes / guard rails are chosen for reasons.

 

This is the kind of thing I wouldn't be mad about. You actually should feel proud of saving that drivers life, even if the ahole don't appreciate it!!! You had to sacrifice your record, new truck your job and your health for the greater good, an believe me somebody seen it. Even if it was the wrong choice, you're still a hero in my book!!! You DID save somebody's life that day. I know how stupid it sounds bruh, but u should feel somewhat proud of yourself. Screw what they say!!!!!!!

 

Look at it this way friend; had you held your lane and taken the hit from the phantom driver it might have been much worse for you, mentally, financially and legally. There are very good lawyers that specialize in truck involved civil cases. They'd make your life hell for years.

Only the most cold and callous person could have consciously held their lane.
You're reaction was what any good man would have naturally done, with two seconds to think...sacrifice yourself for another.

 

I think thats one of those things that you wont know how you'll react till it happens to you. With that said I'd like to think I would have just hit the brakes hard and held on.Ive hit some big critters on the road before and thats what I did mowed'em over.