My First Cmv Accident

Hello everyone. I have less than a year of solo driving under my belt and I’ve just hit the side of my trailer on a mountain wall and bent rear axle. How much will this effect my future prospects as a driver? Any advice helps. Thanks in advance.

Depends. Are you still at that company where it happened? Was it marked as a preventable accident?

Depends. Are you still at that company where it happened? Was it marked as a preventable accident?

This literally just happened yesterday PackRat. I’m still in the truck waiting. But the safety guy called me and in a roundabout, friendly way said they could fire me. Idk how i’d cheCk to see if they classify it as preventable.

Hello everyone. I have less than a year of solo driving under my belt and I’ve just hit the side of my trailer on a mountain wall and bent rear axle. How much will this effect my future prospects as a driver? Any advice helps. Thanks in advance.

I would opine that: "hitting a mountain wall" - where thousands of other trucks HAVEN'T - is going to go down as a preventable.

Whether or not you get canned behind it, depends on a number of factors. Some of which are: productive safe driver for the past year, not a "problem child" (good log compliance, good inspections if any).

Valued drivers are typically cut some slack - problem children are shown the door.

Also important is that YOU OWN YOUR MISTAKE.

Again - if EVERY TRUCK that has gone through that road HAS NOT HIT THE MOUNTAIN - then YOU (not the truck, not the mountain) ARE AT FAULT.

Identify WHAT YOU DID WRONG - OWN IT (as in not making excuses - "I misjudge the clearance, and caught the mountain on the trailer in a tight turn" - versus "the road was too narrow, the mountain infringed into the road, it wasn't my fault" - etc.)

Typically (from observation) if the "mountain" has a lot of scrapes and scratches, then others have hit it - which is a clue to SLOW DOWN AND BE MINDFUL of your clearance.

Keep us posted on how things turn out...

Rick

Hello everyone. I have less than a year of solo driving under my belt and I’ve just hit the side of my trailer on a mountain wall and bent rear axle. How much will this effect my future prospects as a driver? Any advice helps. Thanks in advance.

I would opine that: "hitting a mountain wall" - where thousands of other trucks HAVEN'T - is going to go down as a preventable.

Whether or not you get canned behind it, depends on a number of factors. Some of which are: productive safe driver for the past year, not a "problem child" (good log compliance, good inspections if any).

Valued drivers are typically cut some slack - problem children are shown the door.

Also important is that YOU OWN YOUR MISTAKE.

Again - if EVERY TRUCK that has gone through that road HAS NOT HIT THE MOUNTAIN - then YOU (not the truck, not the mountain) ARE AT FAULT.

Identify WHAT YOU DID WRONG - OWN IT (as in not making excuses - "I misjudge the clearance, and caught the mountain on the trailer in a tight turn" - versus "the road was too narrow, the mountain infringed into the road, it wasn't my fault" - etc.)

Typically (from observation) if the "mountain" has a lot of scrapes and scratches, then others have hit it - which is a clue to SLOW DOWN AND BE MINDFUL of your clearance.

Keep us posted on how things turn out...

Rick

63,000 miles. No problems besides a few nails in tires along the way. My main concern, however, isn’t being fired. I figured that technically any accident can get you fired. I’m looking for bigger picture(ie no company will take me because I’m a menace to society). You’re response was helpful because you covered my situation as if you’d been there in my passenger seat.

Actually Rick did cover the big picture when he said this...

Identify WHAT YOU DID WRONG - OWN IT (as in not making excuses - "I misjudge the clearance, and caught the mountain on the trailer in a tight turn" - versus "the road was too narrow, the mountain infringed into the road, it wasn't my fault" - etc.)

Here's what I mean: That advice from Rick is crucial. It may very well spare you from getting fired. It's also crucial in the event that you end up getting fired. Anyone who considers you at this point is going to inquire about this accident when they discover it. The point at which they discover it should be when they are reviewing your application. Don't make them dig it up and find it on your DAC report or when they contact your former employer.

You will have to own this situation and take full responsibility for it. That's the one factor that will be in your favor. If you have to go looking for a new job the accident is going to be a big hindrance. You're going to get a lot of rejections. 63,000 miles experience is not much, so you don't have a whole lot to help you shine as a potentially good candidate. I see people get fired from my company on a regular basis for accidents. If they have an otherwise stellar record with the company they are told, "Go establish one year accident free at another trucking job and we will take you back."

A good clean record speaks volumes. A responsible acknowledgement of an accident is imperative, but you'll still be limited by who will accept you.

Thanks for all advice. It’s greatly appreciated. I’d like to let everyone know that I’m not fired. That’s partially due to me following some long standing trucking truth advice. The time I’ve been with Swift I don’t cause trouble, don’t turn down loads, and otherwise just mind my business. Btw, Old School, I was trying to get a Swift dedicated route out of 7030. Guess I’ll have to wait a while

Learning from what happened and still keeping your job is what's important.

Glad to read you have both.

Wait! I want to know how he hit a mountain? Was it a sharp turn, or curve? Did the tail swing hit it? I’m trying to learn something here; because I dang sure don’t want to hit no mountain.

Wait! I want to know how he hit a mountain? Was it a sharp turn, or curve? Did the tail swing hit it? I’m trying to learn something here; because I dang sure don’t want to hit no mountain.

I tried to word it so it didn’t seem like I drove head first into a mountain. West Virginia+narrow road+almost U turn+me not borrowing other lane to cover it. Yes, tail end of trailer hit