3 Preventable Accidents Within a Year

But it should, especially in this line of work.

 

Yes, you are right. It should. Like I said, I know there are a lot of guys that don't have the benefit of good training. He didn't hit a person, he just hit headlights. The Nissan is the only concern here. The other two problems are just nonsense learning

I just know how it can get out on the road, as I am sure you do too. You can get very tired and overlook small things. It's part of learning the job. You learn from your mistakes. And in my opinion this guy has made small mistakes. He doesn't deserve to me laughed out of the job.

I understand that I am not paying the bill for the mistakes he made, but I do know what it's like to be new and be exhausted driving hard and training and everything else working 24/7 essentially. It takes time to adapt to a very different style work and learn your limits and there's a lot more.

Give this guy a break. He didn't kill anyone, he broke some a-hole's headlight. If it was my headlight on my Corolla I wouldn't even care that much to condemn a man.

 

When I did my solo final test drive I had one turn that was hard to make.
It was onto a tight 2 lane road back to the terminal, and it was during rush hour.
I needed both lanes to not hit the curb or do damage to something, and there was a lot of traffic.

I sat there, holding up traffic behind me for over 10 minutes, until I could make the turn safely.
The instructor told me that many drivers were failed with that turn because they were too much in a hurry and didn't consider it properly to do the right thing.

I don't consider myself a perfect driver, and I have had my fair share of mistakes. I have had a few preventable 'incidents' - which were accidents.

But I do not try to downplay those things into 'something that just happens'.
They were things that would not have happened if I had been just a little more aware of my surroundings.

Hauling a 53 footer is not to be taken lightly, at any time.

 

Who, exactly, is the 'a-hole' you are speaking of?
The truck driver just sitting there doing nothing?

Is everyone that is not you an a-hole?

Look in the mirror once in a while.

 

It shouldn't be taken lightly you are right. I am also glad to hear that the mistakes you made you didn't lose your job and you deservedly were allowed to keep driving and learn from them. Or maybe you did lose your job, I don't know, but you obviously got another job and are still driving. I hope the same for the OP.

 

You are right. If the OP backed into my headlight I was the a-hole that was in his way. I'm fine with that.

 

I never had that many in so short a time period, and I never lost my job.
Still at the same (and first) company after 9 years.

But why would you say that you were the a-hole to to be in his way, if you were parked and he was moving and controlling his own actions?
That makes no sense to me.

Are you telling me that you being where you are supposed to be, and stationary, is in some way responsible for someone else hitting you while they are pulling out or backing?

 

No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that I am still alive and the truck driver just hit one of my lights. It's nothing to worry about. He can go home and say I was the a-hole that was in his way. Ultimately he will need to learn and figure out where his issue is. But blaming a stationary object for being in your way is humorous. That's why I said that.

I don't know this driver but I can tell you my biggest hinderance is exhaustion, being a team driver and I get asked to train occasionally. I want to help out my company and train new guys and also try to set the new guys to succeed the best I can. It can play a number on my own driving ability. Especially when they have a hard time driving at night and I have to do it, but also train them all day doing pick ups and such.

That's just my experience. The OP probably has a different story. But I understand being tired and trying to back up after driving for 10 hours. Learning how to back up is one thing, then you gotta learn how exhaustion can spiral you out of control, get frustrated for no reason and you don't even realize it, you have lost control of your own thoughts. It's very easy to happen. This job is not like a 9-5 job that probably most people getting into the job are used to. It has unique challenges.

 

Why not go for a fourth?

 

Those are some very good reasons to change the way drivers are trained.
The trainer and student should NEVER be so tired that they can not do the job properly.

No driver should be, in any case.

And I would bet that it is because drivers are simply too afraid to say NO!
I WON'T work that way!


Never forget...
The truck companies need us a LOT more then we need them.

They may have an endless mill of new drivers coming in, but if everyone slowed things down a bit it would work out the same way - and probably with better results.