Accidents

I was in an accident in a car where someone hit the side of my car on the rear passenger side behind the back wheel a few days ago. The officer ruled both parties did not contribute to the accident and I did not receive a ticket or citation. Would this prevent me from getting a job at swift?

Contact the Police Department who processed the accident scene and request a copy of the accident report. Be prepared to offer that as proof you were not at fault.

Have you already applied to Swift, or are you planning to? Either way I believe it's wise to inform them it happened. It's better they hear it from you first.

In a lot of accidents - if the officer didn't actually witness it, and fault wasn't obvious (like someone failed to yield and turned in front of a car and got struck) they won't write a ticket. If taken to trial - most of these tickets are thrown out, because if the cop didn't actually SEE the accident - he can't testify as to what happened (or fault). OTOH - if you REAR END someone, then 99% of the time you were either following too closely, not paying attention - or BOTH.

Did they give you a case number - or did they say "nothing to see here, move along"?

The accident report should be available to get a copy of, within a week usually. You may have to pay a fee, per page, for a copy (though most jurisdictions give an involved party a free copy).

Since it WAS an accident, and it WAS REPORTED - you do have to disclose it on your application. It will also likely show up on your MVR (if a report was filed), but that may take months (if ever).

How much were the damages? Are you going to file an insurance claim? If you DO file a claim - the insurance companies will battle it out to determine liability (a process called SUBROGATION). Once they do, a percentage of liability will be assigned each party - this is where "at fault" is determined, when a ticket isn't issued (or fault isn't really obvious).

For example: I hit a pedestrian 18 months ago - ran in front of me jaywalking. Normally would sound pretty bad? Cops show up, I'm rendering aid along with a bystander who is a nurse. Pedestrian is obviously wasted, cops & EMT's know the guy (said he had "frequent flyer miles"). Cop writes an accident report, indicating that I had no way to see the guy or stop in time the way he darted out in front of me. Noted the ER nurse indicated his obvious intoxication. So the accident report clears me - and of course, the guy tries to SUE ME ANYWAY. My research turned up two other incidents where he had done this ON THE SAME STREET. The insurance company opted to settle, rather than spend the $$ to defend a suit all the way to trail (which frequently happens). I refused to sign off on the settlement, unless I got a "zero liability letter" from my company, stating that the settlement was made as a matter of expediency and in no way was I liable in the accident.

So - I disclose this on my applications - indicate that I was not at fault, no citations, not DOT Reportable (because it was not in CMV), and indicate in the comments the circumstances, the finding of not at fault in the accident report and the zero liability letter from my insurance company.

Rick