Getting a job aftre an accident

fleckofgod

New Member
I have been driving on and off for about 2 years (a couple of layoffs broke consistency).

After only a week on the job I got into an accident which caused my termination. I had worked for this company before (small bulk tank company), but they laid me off back in 2008. When a position had opened up, they gladly rehired me. I was thrilled to be back, but my first week back was a rough one (water hose busted in TX, pump hose got clogged, pump engine burnt out, and someone hit me in a rest stop). I figured the following week would go better. Boy was I wrong!!! After leaving the yard with a load, I was on a narrow mountain road when I reached over to get something. My truck hit a bump, which caused just enough momentum to jerk my truck right into a sign and guard rail. I regained control of the truck (I could have easily had a roll over accident), but it was too late, as the damage had been done. The State Trooper came and wrote up the ticket I have never had anything like the ticket as a "verbal warning", but it was still a ticket. On the ticket was "Misc. Traffic Law Violation - Due Care". I have never been in an accident like this - truck or four wheeler. Now feel like my career is over. How can I redeem myself and would anyone dare hire me at this point? :( I should also note that this company liked me enough not to put this on my DAC, but I understood that they couldn't keep me.

Thanks,
Ben
 
Hi, Ben and welcome aboard

To better understand your situation, what is listed on your motor vehicle report (MVR). Any other accidents or infractions in the past 10 years?
 
I have been driving on and off for about 2 years (a couple of layoffs broke consistency).After only a week on the job I got into an accident which caused my termination. I had worked for this company before (small bulk tank company), but they laid me off back in 2008. When a position had opened up, they gladly rehired me. I was thrilled to be back, but my first week back was a rough one (water hose busted in TX, pump hose got clogged, pump engine burnt out, and someone hit me in a rest stop). I figured the following week would go better. Boy was I wrong!!! After leaving the yard with a load, I was on a narrow mountain road when I reached over to get something. My truck hit a bump, which caused just enough momentum to jerk my truck right into a sign and guard rail. I regained control of the truck (I could have easily had a roll over accident), but it was too late, as the damage had been done. The State Trooper came and wrote up the ticket I have never had anything like the ticket as a "verbal warning", but it was still a ticket. On the ticket was "Misc. Traffic Law Violation - Due Care". I have never been in an accident like this - truck or four wheeler. Now feel like my career is over. How can I redeem myself and would anyone dare hire me at this point? :( I should also note that this company liked me enough not to put this on my DAC, but I understood that they couldn't keep me.Thanks,Ben
Sorry about your accident.All it takes is a split second.But since this accident is recent and preventable,I would say it's going to be hard finding a job because this will be on your MVR.What exactly is a Misc Law Violation in the terms of the law????????????
 
Hi, Ben and welcome aboard

To better understand your situation, what is listed on your motor vehicle report (MVR). Any other accidents or infractions in the past 10 years?

This only happened a couple of days ago, so I have not gotten a copy of my MVR since. My MVR is otherwise clean as a whistle before this incident for the past 10 years (it is the ONLY incident).
 
Try this site for Eagle Eye Transportation Services Choose option LindaV23 and I will try to help you with some job placement opportunities.
Fill out the application and we will research for you. This will give you a better understanding of what would be available to you, in your situation.

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Best!
 
I have been driving on and off for about 2 years (a couple of layoffs broke consistency).

After only a week on the job I got into an accident which caused my termination. I had worked for this company before (small bulk tank company), but they laid me off back in 2008. When a position had opened up, they gladly rehired me. I was thrilled to be back, but my first week back was a rough one (water hose busted in TX, pump hose got clogged, pump engine burnt out, and someone hit me in a rest stop). I figured the following week would go better. Boy was I wrong!!! After leaving the yard with a load, I was on a narrow mountain road when I reached over to get something. My truck hit a bump, which caused just enough momentum to jerk my truck right into a sign and guard rail. I regained control of the truck (I could have easily had a roll over accident), but it was too late, as the damage had been done. The State Trooper came and wrote up the ticket I have never had anything like the ticket as a "verbal warning", but it was still a ticket. On the ticket was "Misc. Traffic Law Violation - Due Care". I have never been in an accident like this - truck or four wheeler. Now feel like my career is over. How can I redeem myself and would anyone dare hire me at this point? :( I should also note that this company liked me enough not to put this on my DAC, but I understood that they couldn't keep me.

Thanks,
Ben

Remind me not to stand next to you during a lightning storm!
 
This accident my not have shown up on your dac YET- It took weeks after i got canned for all the junk to reach my dac. As to MVR who knows what will show...For now just look around, maybe u can find something outside of driving for a while. Question is, what will they say when asked wether you quit/terminated and why...
 
No I dont think your career is over.. You may not get the driving job you want but all is not lost..
 
fleckofgod, i personally know of a driver that jackknifed on a dry road, no one around to bother him and he got fired...it's been about 5 years later...and he was rehired..!!!

now of course you did not jackknife, but your wreck did do some damage for sure. what you can "try to do" is, see if you can take some type of "refresher training" and it is highly possible this might help you show another employer you are committed to being a good safe driver, and this may very well be an asset for the new employer to show to his insurance company, so think that angle as well.. it takes a month (sometimes 2) before anything gets put on your DMV report. as fro your DAC, maybe the company will not ding you, but they may also very well say "not rehire-able" or "re-hire with review". DAC reports also may not have any new information for 1 to 2 months.

in the meantime, if you do not want to try any "refresher training", then look around at smaller places, maybe even an o/o...

with the job situation being the way it is, there will be others out there looking for work, so you just have to do your best to show you are the man for the job, even if it means to go back to school...
 
Thank you everyone for your help on this. I was so worried I may have to go back to waiting tables for a while, which would have been highly depressing. Ironically, I was hired with Hornady - a small flatbed operation out of Birmingham. The recruiter was understanding and awesome. I do have to go through a 1-2 week [paid] training program, but considering this is my first accident and it was a small one, they were willing to take me on. Of course, my wife did a lot of praying, so she is awesome too. I used to drive flatbed out of Maine for Carlen and really enjoyed flatbed, so this is not only encouraging for me, but it will be something I actually like. Thank again for your help!!
 

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