One wreck on record

How long ago was the wreck?
Where are you in Georgia?

 

I don t think the accident would hurt you, but seeing the ticket was for following too close, some companies may frown upon that because even though you don t have a CDL yet, they still may view that as a serious violation

 

Contact Georgia Training Academy right there in Columbus and ask about tuition assistance. They have financial aid or you can pay up front with a credit card, etc or other means.
Because your wreck was a rear-ender, it's classified as "careless/reckless driving" in the trucking world. There are companies that will hire you though and are called "2nd chance" companies.
The school may want you to have a "pre-hire letter" from a company before they accept you as a student, due to the wreck. The reason for this is the school doesn't want you to graduate and then not be able to find employment; it hurts their reputation.
If so, here are some companies that may agree to hire you and give you a pre-hire.
Stevens Transport
Carolina Cargo
TransAm
USA Truck
OK, think you'll be ok. Keep us posted!

 

Don t give up, there are several thousand other companies out there, when one door closes, there may be another door opening elsewhere. Trust me, some companies would want to give you an opportunity, but the insurance companies have the final say so

 

Also, try smaller companies. You'll get treated better and their insurance companies may be a little more lenient

 

Just an FYI, driving a small pickup or van for 5 hours is nothing compared to living in a truck for 168 hours, driving up to 70 hours and working 12 hours on top of that - all in one week.

 

I know Swift requires one year distance from the accident.