Legal definition of a sharp turn vs jackknife

From what ive learned, a jacknife is considered anytime the tractor is cranked so hard it contacts the trailer. Wether it happens when slipping down the highway on ice/rain or if its in a lot trying to get it in the door is all the same. Having said that, i think the majority of people are specifically talking about a loss of control accident down the highway when they refer to a jacknife.

 

Did you need help with straightening your vehicle after bending the flaring?

 

Whatever you call it......driver error.

 

A lot of drivers while backing up will make contact with the fairing and bend it. I would classify it as a jacknife situation since it is in the shape of a jacknife that caused the damage.

 

True. Jackknife is when it is 90° or less between the tractor and the trailer. Sometimes you need to jackknife to get into some spots.

That doesn't mean that when somebody loses control of the vehicle, and bends it, that isn't a jackknife also. Do it controlled, without hitting anything=good jackknife. Hit something=bad jackknife.

 

what you will have to do is, type up what happened, and save it to your documents. then when you apply elsewhere and you are asked on the application, "any accidents", check off yes.

it is always asked to explain the situation on a separate piece of paper. this is where you would have gone to the job application/interview with a copy of your explanation. let THEM decide what it was.

good luck.

 

I did that one time. Trying to turn around on some goat trail I got myself on. Broke it smooth off. Craaaack

 

That's one nice thing about long wheelbases and huge gaps between the back of the cab and the nose of the trailer. I can be jacked around so far that the trailer is rolling forward as I'm backing up and it doesn't get into anything. I could probably swing it around to 135 degrees before I even need to think about it. Needless to say, I've never had any problems getting spun around in tight places despite the fact that the turning radius on my truck absolutely sucks.

 

It's a jackknife

 

Really, there ain't no excuse for damaging the cab extenders during a turn or back. You're supposed to be looking in the mirrors anyway.