Anthony
Rossville,#2Consumer Comment
Mon, January 05, 2009
...I agree with Jim. The accident WAS preventable. Traveling on a road that is unfamiliar to a driver, unlighted, or even declared dangerous by an officer is not an excuse for sliding through a stop sign, or for jack-knifing the truck. We as drivers travel unfamiliar roads all the time. In fog, and while driving on wet roads, adjusting your speed is essential in order to be ready at all times for anything that may present a hazard to the driver, to allow time to see the hazard, react to it, and to maintain control of the vehicle at all times. It's painfully obvious that you were driving too fast for conditions, even if the officer did not claim this on his report. That aside, the FMCSA has instituted a rule (391.23 (c)(3)) that compels any motor carrier to respond to inquiries by other motor carriers for references, with a properly signed release for such reference, within 30 days after a request is submitted, IF the driver worked for them within the past three years as a commercial driver. The rules require any prospective employer who does not receive responses for such information to report the violating motor carrier to the FMCSA for any refusal to provide a reference. A refusal of any motor carrier to respond to requests for a reference is not a valid reason to refuse to hire you as a driver. The FMCSA requires the prospective motor carrier to merely document all attempts to obtain a reference. My guess is that you are being refused a job, in part, because you have not taken responsibility for the accident that was clearly your fault, if it has ever been discussed with you in an interview.
Jim
Orlando,#3Consumer Suggestion
Sun, January 04, 2009
In your posting you used two phrases..."slippery wet" and "thick fog". You used these phrases to describe the conditions you were driving in because you saw these exact conditions. When someone encounters these conditions, the common sense thing is to SLOW DOWN and be ready for anything...even that stop sign! Clearly, you were DRIVING TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS because you jackknifed at the sign. If you were driving according to the conditions or if you would have elected to not drive in such dangerous conditions, you would not have jacknifed. The definitition of preventable is: "could the driver had done something to not have a collision/incident". In this case, the decision was right on the money. This was PREVENTABLE! Be well.