First week first wreck

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by LeadFarmer, Apr 26, 2018.

  1. LeadFarmer

    LeadFarmer Light Load Member

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    I was trucking a few miles over the limit on cruise control in a construction zone with a empty flatbed. Feels like I hit a huge bump and my trailer kicked me forward... Oh no look in mirror and see flying debris and a giant black metal used-to-be-car.

    Guy has what looks like his kids piling out of a totaled work pickup and I'm worried he hurt or killed someone on my bumper, luckily no injuries and my trailer was limpable. He tells the cop he fell asleep in the passing lane doing 70 (45 zone for construction) and that he thought it was still a 70 zone. He gets citations and full fault and the cop is nice enough to say that if anyone at my company gives me any troubles to have them call him because there was no fault for me. I make 600 calls to various company folks and end up with a screwed clock and dropped my trailer at a terminal for a new one to drop and hook.

    So a few questions. Does this affect my personal insurance/license/points as a not-at-fault accident? When you see "million safe miles" that means no at faults and not a million miles without a scratch right?

    Even though mentally I know I did nothing wrong I still feel really rattled as a new driver. Haven't had anything more than paint scratch incidents in 11 years of driving including 3 years as a full time NNJ/NYC Uber driver.
     
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  3. Coover

    Coover Road Train Member

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    I would keep a copy of police report for your own records, but from what you stated you were rear ended by motorist who fell asleep, not paying attention/=non preventable crash. I wouldn't mention the fact you were speeding in a construction zone.

    Is your screen name a "Tropic Thunder" reference?
     
    Jarhed1964, motocross25 and Bean Jr. Thank this.
  4. Flashdrive7

    Flashdrive7 Medium Load Member

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    A good deal of consequences will be based on the police officers report. Since he observed that you were not at fault, the insurance company and your company will take that into consideration.

    Any kind of mishap is nerve wracking, but hang in there. You should be fine.
     
    Need4Speed Thanks this.
  5. truckdriver31

    truckdriver31 Road Train Member

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    its the post crash report that counts the most. see that then call that nice policeman then
     
  6. TROOPER to TRUCKER

    TROOPER to TRUCKER Anything Is Possible

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    Definitely get in touch with the officer ASAP for the report. When people’s nerves calm down so does their account of the events.
     
    dunchues Thanks this.
  7. RedRover

    RedRover Road Train Member

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    I got rear ended by a 17 year old girl talking on her cell phone. When talking to me she apologized and when talking to her parents she told the whole story. The trooper came and asked what happened and she told the whole story. I wasn’t cited and they towed her car away. She was shaken but didn’t require transport by the grace of God alone. 6 months later my DM calls me and reroutes me to the terminal to speak with an attorney. Apparently the girl’s family sued Swift for my gross negligence. Their entire story had changed and Swift ended up settling out of court for 1.5 million dollars. The reason? I said sorry. I #### you not. Not my fault. I was stopped at a red light and a girl tries to end her life on my dot bumper. And when it was all said and done she gave me a hug for being kind and treating her with dignity and not piling on with DOT. She told her story first and when I was asked, even though she had plainly confessed to me and 50 witnesses, I said I didn’t know what happened because I was at a red light, it changed and I started grabbing gears; looked back and there was a demolished car. I knew #### well what happened. I just didn’t want to make it worse or try to ruin her life for denting Swift’s bumper.

    So she gives me a hug and I said “I’m sorry this happened to you, but it’s not the end of the world. We will both learn from this.”

    1.5 million dollars. I’d be a lot more worried about something like that. Don’t try to be any more helpful than the law requires. Secure the scene and get lots and lots of pictures from every angle, skid marks, and don’t move the vehicles if you can help it until you get those pics. Then keep your #### mouth shut. Not at fault can become bankruptcy proceedings real quick like. Even that information about a couple mph over the speed limit can ruin your day. If you were going a little bit slower you wouldn’t have been there in that exact spot to be hit. YOU could have prevented the accident by doing the right thing. Now you’re guilty.

    That quick. So just keep your mouth shut and secure the scene and get lots of pics.
     
  8. RedRover

    RedRover Road Train Member

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    Also if you were put out of service due to a failed post crash inspection, like the trailer was OOS for instance, that DOES go on your PSP and the carriers csa as a failed inspection. I’d say that is probably the biggest issue you’ll face if you didn’t say anything stupid, like sorry. The only way to negate that is time and clean inspections.
     
    Jarhed1964 Thanks this.
  9. supersnackbar

    supersnackbar Road Train Member

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    Unless it changed, if the other guy's truck would have had to be towed it would be on his PSP as well...even though it was the other guy's fault. The CSA is suppose to be adding a preventability decision to the drivers scoring, but I don't know if it's been implemented yet.
     
    RedRover Thanks this.
  10. LeadFarmer

    LeadFarmer Light Load Member

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    I only asked if they were injured then went back to my cab to call my company. Everything I heard was when the cop had both of us in the back seat and was asking us questions. Yes it's crazy he was honest about all that.

    I also wasn't burning down the slow lane just one or two over on CC because I have respect for people who have to be exposed to the crazy 4 wheelers we complain about.

    I'll double check the accident report. I got a printed copy before being released.
     
    Jarhed1964 and RedRover Thank this.
  11. Moose1958

    Moose1958 Road Train Member

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    That is incorrect. Just because something is towed does not automatically involve those points. Please don't come back with that incorrect ( but its a DOT reportable ). There is no such thing as a DOT reportable. The correct term is recordable and NOTHING gets reported.
     
    Aamcotrans Thanks this.
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