I just got my CDL about a month two ago on my first run I got into a accident. I jump a curb when makeing a right turn and took out two stop lights and a fire hydrent. I didnt get a tickit but Iam sure the company will be letting me go I dont blame them I know it was my own falt. It was my first run and was payiny more attetion to the clock and my directions then my trailer (bonehead mistake on my part).Whats going to happpen to my trucking career?Is it over before it even stared?Will I be able to find a new job with a accident on my driveing record and DAC report?
got into a accident,HELP!
- Thread starter cjs1976
- Start date
Flatlander
Well-Known Member
Ouch, sorry. Every driver's nightmare. and a hydrent too. At least no ticket. Any damage to the trailer? Those things fall over very easily. Just breath and relax. You can not control what anyone else does, including the office. As far as how this will hurt you, I have no experience in that. I am willing to bet that you are not the first and will not be the last to have this problem.
patriciajnsn
Steering Wheel Holder
Everyone is giving u honest answers and my guess would be yes this will affect your driving career.Insurance companies are very strict.I would say this will be on your record for a long time to come.But keep on looking maybe talk to safety for that company and see what they say.Maybe they give second and third chances.I know a driver that got 3 chances finally they had enough and let him go.First time he turned too sharp and hit a car at a lite second he hit a low bridge and third he hit a parked car.
depending on the company.........you will be fired for recklessness........it's hard to imagine that in today's work force of high unemployment, they will keep you. i highly suspect that you mangled the trailer dollie from the frame in such a way that a rebuild is needed. then of course, there will be the mangle wheels and blown tire, or at the very least a tire that is no longer usable.
this will count against you in at least 2 ways.........one...........your driving record now will be tarnished till what ever amount of time your state DMV holds this information, 3 years, 5 years, whatever.........
next, your DAC report. this will go down as a preventable accident and will be there till a period of "up to" 10 years passes...........
any job application you now fill out, you must include the accident and the cost, if you know that...........right about now, i'm guessing............$50,000 (minimum) for everything.........from trailer to stop lights to fire hydrant.......and this is just to start off with. there may be civil suits against you from the city/town, and any business that was located at the area, causing them hardships if the sidewalk had to be re-done after the new hydrant was replaced..........and the business lost customers..........
its all money and lawyer driven these days, and you right now are on the short end of this.......
you need to know where you stand with your employer...........and make plans for a re-fresher course in driving, to prove to another potential employer you went to improve yourself.
as i see it, you will find it very difficult to find new employment for quite some time.............
shiot happens...........yes..........but when it happens to a newbie...........most companies cut you loose. very rarely in today's world will they give second chances anymore............and you'd be freaking lucky if they did.........if i were an owner of the trucking company, you'd be fired right on the spot, and looking for a way to get home......as i'd hold nothing back in getting rid of someone who wasn't paying any attention, and you'd be costing ME time and money, that the insurance company might NOT pay.
patriciajnsn
Steering Wheel Holder
Glenn is an instructor and knows the real deal.He gets brutal at times that isn't feeding u a line and sugarcoating anything.Glad hes not my instructor,he'd make me cry,LOL.
Thanks for all the advice and thank you for giveing me the truth and not suger coated b.s.FYI the only damage to the trailer was the brake lines and some miner paint damage.The lights and hydrant on the other hand are done. Just got a e-mail from Grodon and thay said they wouldnt touch me until I have three years accident free.
patriciajnsn
Steering Wheel Holder
That's too bad.I think the toasted hydrant and lights is what's going to hurt u.
i ain't so sure i can understand this........no "other damage but the lines and some paint"......?? the air lines are rubber, the fire hydrant is iron........HMMmmmmmmmmmmm............i think more damage was done, and you are not being told everything, or you "assumed" that's all that was damaged when you looked at it........there will be under-carriage damage to that trailer........
also, depending on how you tore out that hydrant, the workers may have had to dig very deep to replace an entire length of pipe.........and for the red lights, i'm sure wiring got ripped out as well...........your company as i said, may not tell you all the damage you did.......they do not owe you anything.......you really do not realize the damage you did at first, its when all the bills come in, the company will know.........finally. again, when you fill out applications, put down at least $50,000 worth of damage. or just put a (?) in that area.............in fact, do that...........put the (?) instead of a price. BUT you will have to (on separate piece of paper) write down what happened.......i suggest here, that you neatly type up everything, time, date, road, weather, traffic, etc,etc...........and explain what you did. then save it in your computer and print out copies as you need them for applications...........
but you just ain't gonna be driving any time too soon..
and as for Gordon turning you down.............your nightmare will continue. try finding out about going back to your trucking school and see how much it'll cost you for a re-training course. this "might" help you.
I was insured via the company so I am hopeing that the cost of property damage wont be an issue.As for the damage to the trailer I was going so slow that the damage was miner from what I saw and from what the service truck that got me rolling again saw. The lights were replaced befor I left(they hang the lights fast do to safety)the hydrant was push over not ripped out but thats not the problem the problem is finding work.It looks like I have to find some other kind of work untill this accident falls off my report.
patriciajnsn
Steering Wheel Holder
I wonder how long it stays on your mvr.You said gordon wont touch u for 3 yrs so im thinken that's how long.That's too bad.You'll find a job that pays twice if not more then trucking anyway.
patriciajnsn
Steering Wheel Holder
I do mvis so much I put that down rather then mvr,I just noticed that,LOL.I changed it.
2xR
******* Derelict *******
I've seen guys do worse, and, keep on truckin'... depends on the company and the management's attitude. Hell, they might figure the only way to get back what they spent fixin' what he busted up is to work him a few years. With that on his record there is no way he'll job hop, so.... they've got him in servitude for a few years.
First post says, "no ticket." If there was no ticket, will it show up on the MVR?
First post says, "no ticket." If there was no ticket, will it show up on the MVR?
if he is lucky, there won't be any civil suits against him from any business in the area that was closed for a time while replacing the hydrant took place.
the service truck driver ain't a mechanic on wheels with an alignment machine behind him. and all he can do is "look" as well, but unless he's highly experienced, he wouldn't know if the trailer sub frame and dollie was bent.
as far as the hydrant goes, being pushed over still requires a replacement, as the release valve inside would be bent and the firemen will not be able to turn it on. lots of digging will have been taken place to replace this now destroyed hydrant.
and yes...........finding work.........so right now, you clarified what i said moments ago.......you were let go...........
depending on your state limit for anything to stay on your driving record, that can be 2 to 5 years, of no driving commercially. given that you say now you might wait for it to fall off your record, be forewarned that you WILL BE REQUIRED to go back to driving school for the entire course again. this will be mandatory for anyone to demand of you. thankfully, you will not need another permit, as you'll already have the license. be forewarned too that the ATA and the DOT are pushing for mandatory apprenticeship training for newbies, which you would be, and that can be "up to" 2 years with a company, before you could even quit and go someplace else.
any where's from 7 to 10 years........BUT, if the company he formerly worked for goes out of business, he can contact DAC/Hire Right and he can explain they went out of business, DAC can and will remove that company.......this i know, as i myself had it done.........
that's right.....like the old country song........"i never promised you a rose garden"...........
lunachic
BITE ME !
I think if you did'nt get a ticket it wont show up on your mvr. But will on insurance and them reporting to dac.(check with the dmv)
It is very possible depending on how he hit the hydrant that he scratched the side of the trailer(paint) and just broke(pulled out the airlines) which is how the trailer lights broke. It does'nt sound like he ran over it he more liked rubed it. It came over and took out the lines.
What I am curious about is the traffic light's. R they the kind that swing across the road or on a pole on the curb.
It is very possible depending on how he hit the hydrant that he scratched the side of the trailer(paint) and just broke(pulled out the airlines) which is how the trailer lights broke. It does'nt sound like he ran over it he more liked rubed it. It came over and took out the lines.
What I am curious about is the traffic light's. R they the kind that swing across the road or on a pole on the curb.
well i don't know your state, but the 3 states i must deal with, any accident will show up on an MVR........tickets, suspensions, revocations, court cases pending, etc...........a ticket will "usually" mean fault at the accident. that is where right now, he lucked out at........but he still lost his job.
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