Fired while training, for roll over

hello everyone, my friend just got fired for rolling a truck over. Here's the situation:

Pulled into truck stop for fuel and food... pulling out trainer says make a hard right onto dirt road, trainee questions the trainer and trainer gets angry and forces the trainee to turn. Well there you have it, a roll over down a ditch, tons of damage to the truck and huge tow bill. The trainer then tells the trainee that whatever you do dont tell the police that I told you to turn. Trainee says but you did tell me to turn and the trainer is now beligerant and screaming at trainee... the trainee doesnt know what to do... the company immediately fires him. The trainer gets nothing. The company then tells trainee you can reapply in 3 years.

Does he have any recourse?

Is he pretty much blackballed for 3 years?

Any suggestions...

 

@Chinatown

 

The trainer asked him to lie? What about this is a mystery? Company name? Asking for a friend.

 

Camera in truck?

 

My friend wants to know why your friend would think turning down a dirt road is a good idea no matter what the trainer says? Assuming a paved road went the other direction.

 

If your friend didn’t have the balls to stand up for himself and tell the police the truth then he’s screwed.

Something about this doesn’t pass the smell test though. If a trainer reached over and grabbed the steering wheel while you were driving and caused a rollover, would you be meek and passive and lie to the police about it?!? Why?!? A couple weeks prior and you never knew the trainer.

I think your buddy screwed up and his sense of pride won’t let him admit it.

 

Even though you’re a trainee you’re still a licensed CDL holder. Anything that truck does while you’re sitting in the driver seat you’re ultimately responsible for. When I was training about two years back now, my trainer wanted me to turn in between to tight trailers. No room to my right to swing out far enough. Now I was brand new. I started the turn And as I viewed my mirror as it approached the trailer am I right I realized I didn’t think I was going to make the turn. I stopped and said “no way were making that turn” I decided not to proceed with it and backed up and went around. Had I just blindly listened to him, I’d have clipped the trailer, and I would have been done.

trainers are usually confident experienced drivers, there to train a new driver. They’re not psychic, they’re not immune to making an occasional mistake and just because they tell you to do something doesn’t mean you get a free pass if it’s not correct. You hit something? You’re in the drivers seat? Your fault. End of story.

 

You're blackballed from the company that fired you, but other companies will hire you.
Where is your location; state & nearest town/city?

 

When you were making the turn, you said several times<, "Am I clear, am I clear?"
The trainer answered each time, "You're good, keep going."

 

Sorry but anybody that stupid doesnt need to be driving a truck. Tell them find work elsewhere

 

Trucks drive on dirt roads all the time. Sounds like he wasn't in control of the truck.