Question About a "Preventable" Incident

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Solarize, May 3, 2025.

  1. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    OK, first we lack a lot of information about the event, so I will ask you a few.

    Number one question - did you take any photos of the scene?

    Where did this happen?

    The Date?

    You mentioned snow, how much snow?

    Did you talk with the other driver?

    Do you know what caused the driver in front to lose control?

    How much distance was there between you and the other truck?

    OK, what do you mean the barrier was in the middle of the freeway? this a construction zone?

    What did you hit?

    The other truck?

    The barrier?

    You can write up a rebuttal and submit that, but as it stands, if you were too close and running at higher speed than allowed for the conditions, it is preventable.

    True, this is why I asked those questions.
     
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  3. Lazer

    Lazer Road Train Member

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    Did your truck ‘leave the lane of traffic’?
    If you could see what happened in front of you, you were too close.
    I once worked for a company, whose safety director held the steadfast belief that ‘every incident is preventable’. Regardless if you did everything 100% correct, he claimed different actions before any incident would have prevented what occurred.
     
  4. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Some Safety guys say touching ANYTHING that was once in front of you before SHTF is proof you were driving too fast for conditions or not leaving enough following distance. Had you been driving slower or had more following distance you would have been able to stop or completely avoid the thing you made contact with. They sit at a desk and read emails from insurance companies all day so they are experts on driving, just ask them. That's the only GUESS I can make without hearing the company's side.

    What does the employer say now that you have proof they are telling employers something different from what they told you? Making a phone call will almost never lead to the world ending.
     
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  5. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

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    3 preventable in 2 yrs??? "only" 1 in a yrs and half??

    but, you say "legally none are at fault??

    drivers go 5-10 yrs with ZERO accidents.
     
  6. Freddy811

    Freddy811 Bobtail Member

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    I think most companies will hire you. If it's not on your MVR and just internal with company most companies won't even look into it and allow 1 or 2 incidents anyways .I tore off my bumper on a boulder a couple years ago and was listed as a preventable damage to company equipment, It doesn't matter how minor the incident, Walmart demands 3 continuous years of perfect driving.


     
  7. Iamoverit

    Iamoverit Road Train Member

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    That's not entirely true. Some moron could have easily been passing him in the wrong conditions and when returning to the OP's lane cut it too hard and off the road he goes. It's not always the driver's fault.
     
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  8. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Tell that to the Werner driver that’s now personally on the hook for $14 mil because of the drunk ###hole that plowed across the median.
     
  9. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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  10. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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    For a fact you were following to close at too high of speed for the conditions. first you have to recognise your accident was indeed your fault, Orwise you would have had room to stop. Simple enough. And this is excatly how future or tenitive employers will look at it. Your not facing reality. Steep hill, snow, and a accident you can not aviod is your fault. You think its a miracle some of us have millions of miles without at fault accident, not haveing an accident is not an accident or chance,
     
  11. BlackjackCo

    BlackjackCo Light Load Member

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    I agree with you being behind (from what I can tell from your post) the truck that jack-knifed, you were too close for conditions and/or missed other conditions besides that truck that would have you slowing and creating more space before he lost control. I have been going for almost 5 years and had one accident I was involved in on a snowy day in December 2 years in. I was in far right lane going 20-25 mph due to conditions slowing even more at times on turns and when other 4 wheel drivers entered the 2 truck lengths of space I was leaving in front. Constantly checking my mirrors and clearances to sides and rear. As I was passing an on ràmp with 2 empty lanes in South Salt Lake on I-15 I was checking passenger mirror to see a jeep brand SUV coming on freeway from my right rear at high rate of speed. I immediately hit hazards and started smooth slow down..... And checked to see if I could move left a lane .... Nope cars coming up left side.... The jeep lost it in the turn, hit my passenger drives, bounced off me to the right barrier wall, back towards me again hitting my front right corner (herd guard - made major dent into his passenger side) back to the barrier wall and back again hitting my right rear corner of the trailer and spun across the rest of the freeway coming to rest on the center median wall. When he hit the trailer I was almost stopped but he pushed the trailer left a little into the lane and a Uber driver hit my left rear corner from rear. This all happened in space of about 500 ft. I immediately moved to the right emergency parking lane and checked on the Uber driver who stopped behind me. Ñot only was that jeep totally at fault, he had no insurance and there were no inspections or anything else besides my giving witness statement to highway patrol. Damage to my truck? A slightly bent front license plate on heard guard . I thought for sure there would be damage over drive fenders or front right hood .... But he hit perfectly on the rubber of drives, and then the heavy duty heard guard not touching body of truck at all ....

    If you are the one coming into contact from any rear position you will almost always have a "preventable"
     
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