Accident

So i am a little stressed out, and this could all be just in my head but i was hopeing someone could tell ne what they think. A little background I've been with prime for almost 2 years now. Previously i went into a ditch in my first winter experience didnt hit anyone was my fault i was going too fast no dmg to the truck trailer or cargo, about a year later i rear ended a lady who made a right turn from the middle lane no turn signal or anything and she was possibly drunk took off before the cops could get there no license plate, no insurance. It was deemed unpreventable. Now the other day i missed my turn so i was making a left turn down a narrow road and i had to make a 90 degree turn because i had to get into the parking lot that would be immediately to my right while i was making this turn an elderly lady come up from behind me and i got to watch in horror as she didnt slow down and rammed right into the back half of my trailer. Now i dont know what i could have done to prevent this other then not make the turn althought i believe if i had been stopped she would have rear ended me anyway. Luckily she was not hurt but she is stating i hit her somehow? I am worried because when it comes to left hand turns the driver doing the turn is normally found at fault, and i dont know if i will lose my job with prime if i for some reason the police say i was at fault. Should i actually be worried? If i am at fault am i for sure fired?

I'll preface this by saying I don't much about Prime or how they handle accidents. I'm sure Kearsey or Turtle still have more info on that.

The police don't state who's at fault when there's an accident. That's the call of the insurance companies and your employer. Prime can say it's not your fault and the insurance companies can say it is and vice versa. The police write down parties involved, witnesses, statements, location, citations issued and the parts of the vehicles that were damaged.

Were you or the lady issued a citation? That's usually the at fault determiner. Were any of the vehicles towed away? That would make it DOT reportable.

In my opinion, I don't think you'll be fired over this. It seems like you're record is in good shape and you're not hitting something every other day. I think you'll be fine.

I wasnt issued a citation, i couldn't tell you about the lady however she did not have insurance and this was in california so she could have gotten in trouble for that. Her car was towed but that was because she wanted it to be not because it wasnt functional. Lucky for her she went mostly underneath the trailer so there was only damage to the left side windshield and bumber and she was ok. Basically what safety told me was its a unpreventable right now but if the police suggest its my fault that could change, and me not getting a citation doesn't mean much right now. At least thats the gist of what i got. I dont know i could be blowing this way out of proportion but its been stressing me out ever since it happened and i have lost sleep cause of it.

I can understand you being stressed. I’m glad nobody was injured. I don’t know anything about how Prime themselves handle these issues but I know alot about collision investigations.

If LE came out and investigated the collision they will try their best to determine what the primary collision factor is, and if there are any contributing secondary factors and which party those pertain to. That is generally what is used to identify party at fault by the insurance companies.

You left out some info so I’ll ask what other information is important.

We’re you first of all making a legal left turn and was your left turn signal on?

Was either vehicle towed from the scene?

Did LE issue any citations at the scene or state they would be seeking a complaint through the local prosecuter’s office?

Where on the trailer was hit? The rear or on the side? Was she somehow trying to go around you or run into the very rear?? The only way based on your description you could have hit her was if she was trying to go around you.

I spent 28 years investigating collisions and I count count on one hand how many times people were honest at the scene when they were clearly at fault. It happens all the time.

I’m guessing that if you were doing everything correctly and it is clearly the other drivers fault you should be fine, however you certainly seem to have a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Things happen out here sometimes. We pray everyday for a safe journey and do our best, however we can only control what we do, not others.

Let us know how it turns out

I can understand you being stressed. I’m glad nobody was injured. I don’t know anything about how Prime themselves handle these issues but I know alot about collision investigations.

If LE came out and investigated the collision they will try their best to determine what the primary collision factor is, and if there are any contributing secondary factors and which party those pertain to. That is generally what is used to identify party at fault by the insurance companies.

You left out some info so I’ll ask what other information is important.

We’re you first of all making a legal left turn and was your left turn signal on?

Was either vehicle towed from the scene?

Did LE issue any citations at the scene or state they would be seeking a complaint through the local prosecuter’s office?

Where on the trailer was hit? The rear or on the side? Was she somehow trying to go around you or run into the very rear?? The only way based on your description you could have hit her was if she was trying to go around you.

I spent 28 years investigating collisions and I count count on one hand how many times people were honest at the scene when they were clearly at fault. It happens all the time.

I’m guessing that if you were doing everything correctly and it is clearly the other drivers fault you should be fine, however you certainly seem to have a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Things happen out here sometimes. We pray everyday for a safe journey and do our best, however we can only control what we do, not others.

Let us know how it turns out

I was making a legal left turn there was a narrow road that the QC wanted me to go down that i was going to use so i can get into a church parking lot to turn around so i made a much wider turn then normal but it is legal to turn there, she hit me on my driver side of the trailer as i was making the turn id say about 2/3 down the trailer and she was coming up from behind me in the same lane. Once she hit me she reversed out from underneath me then parked in the middle of the street i got out to help her out and make sure she was ok and the moment she got out she was running up and down the street yelling help me help me so i tried to calm her down and told her we needed to move the car out of the way (at this point im blocking 3 lanes with my truck parked) and she pushed me away from her car and began screaming again banging on passerby cars doors and windows. So i backed my truck back onto the street i was on onto the side of the road right where she hit me so i can show the officer where it happened exactly (i did this without really thinking about it idk if this helped or hurt my situation cause i was trying to get out of the way of traffic) and once again i tried to go calm the lady down and i guess thats when one of the passerbys parked behind me and called the cops. (Which i was going to do but i wanted to try to defuse the situation first)

The way it all played out was just very traumatic for me cause i saw her in slow motion hit me as i was looking back at my trailer when i was finishing my turn. Then the way she acted all the people around and the questioning from the cop was very short with me and idk if that was a good thing or a bad one.

How much wider was this turn? Was your turn signal on? The way I invision it is you going very wide right to swing in to the lot, and her not realizing you are going to hook a left and then running into you once you started to turn.

No matter what happens everyone needs to use this as a learning experience and expect cars to do unexpected. When ever making a turn no matter how legal always watch for cars to try and squeeze by.

Ya i was swinging wide because it was a narrow road and the entrance to the parking lot would be immediately to my right once i finished the turn. And that would make since but i was already 2/3 of the way done with my turn so i was almost parallel with the stree at that point and when i started my turn there was no one within sight behind or infront of me so she had more then enpugh time to stop or even just slow down as i was almost done with my turn

And yes my turn signal was on

If you where already that far along in your turn, you will probably be in the clear. She either thought she could around you or wasn't paying attention.