Accidents

I had my first accident today after being on my own for 3 weeks and I'm feeling unsure of things. I was already nervous about driving such an enormous vehicle because I can't see everything around me and large vehicles can't stop and move quickly. Plus I've seen and heard about a lot of accidents. What happened is I was backing at an angle and hit a concrete barrier that was around a light pole in a shopping mall. I hit it on the passenger's side right by the wheel well. I damaged the hood, bumper, and frame rail. Luckily though no one else was involved, I wasn't hurt, and I didn't cause damage to anything else. My employer Schneider won't fire me, but if I keep messing up they will. I feel discouraged, backing scares me, driving in big cities scares me, driving in city scares me. Although, most of what I'm afraid of is what OTHER drivers are going to do, and that an accident will happen and I'll be at fault because I'm the "professional." I feel overwhelmed about the thousands of decisions I have to make everyday, every lane change, every turn, constantly scanning and monitoring speed and following distance. I'm scared it will all be too much for me. I don't think all get into a major preventable accident though, I guess, when I really think about it. I'm very cautious. I wonder how many other new drivers get into accidents or incidents in their first few months.

 

Yea, I know it was a preventable.

I didn't lie about it either.....

I do get out and look a lot for the trailer, I guess I didn't realize how easy it is to damage the tractor. That was my problem, I was so focused on not hitting anything on either side of the trailer I messed up my tractor. And someone put a stupid light pole in front of a dock!

I'm sure I'll feel better when I get back out there and do things the right way.

I'm thinking about getting one of those mirrors that goes over the passenger side door. They had those at Transport America, but not Schneider. I think I might have seen the barrier and avoided the accident if I had that mirror.