What to Do After an Accident: A Guide for Truckers

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), companies employ approximately 3.55 million people to drive trucks in the United States. Gross freight revenues in 2023 reach $987 billion. It’s no surprise that with an economy founded on the hard work of truck drivers, this action and rush can result in accidents on busy national highways and byways. Some truckers believe they know what they need to do in the event of an accident, but they inevitably skip critical steps because of lost focus while shocked or upset. Read on to learn more about the appropriate steps to take after an accident…

The Value of Preparation

Unfortunately, a truck accident can happen to even the most prepared and cautious driver. The city of Modesto, California alone sees an average of 30 truck accidents a year. Every driver needs to take steps to avoid a collision and know what to do in the event of an accident. Many truck drivers receive accident training from their employers before they’re allowed behind the wheel. The goal of the training is to prevent mistakes that can occur right after. A driver might even receive or install on their own an accident kit in the truck that contains important items, such as a fire extinguisher, flares and warning triangles, the contact details of one or more company representatives, or instructions for using their cell phone or an included camera to document everything. That said, drivers often don’t have any of these items.

What to Do in the First Moments

Even with a small accident, a driver must attempt to pull over out of the way of traffic onto the side of the road whenever possible. Once they shut off the engine, they need to call emergency services and set up flares and reflective triangles or turn on their truck hazard lights. While waiting for first responders, they should check on the other driver and any passengers. If necessary, they need to attempt to direct other cars and traffic away from the site. Although they also need to collect the other driver’s information, they should wait until police show up.

During the Emergency Response

If possible, the driver should begin the process of attempting to collect basic information, such as the other driver’s name, contact, vehicle and insurance details, and the names of anyone who was injured or died, witnesses, the reporting officer and anyone else at the scene. They should attempt to take clear photographs and a video recording of everything and immediately write down a description of their surroundings, the geographic location of the accident, the time and even the conditions of the road, visibility and weather and any traffic markers and signage. All these details can help their company, any insurer and a lawyer. When they finish, they also need to contact their employer for additional guidance. Their company’s contact might ask them questions that help them to focus on important details that reveal the cause of the accident. They also need to have an emergency medical technician check them for injuries.

Final Considerations

A driver might feel compelled to talk about the accident with the other driver, passengers or witnesses, or even members of the media. To protect themselves from someone attempting to place the blame for an accident on them before an investigation, a trucker should always wait for the police to arrive and then stick with what they believe are the facts. Additionally, a law enforcement presence can protect them from verbal or physical expressions of anger by the other driver or anyone else present. Some people handle motor vehicle accident trauma better than others. As a result, some at-fault drivers have the focus to try to manipulate a truck driver into admitting that they were at fault, even if it’s not the case. When the driver only answers a police officer’s questions, they receive protection against most manipulation attempts. A company spokesperson might also arrive to handle pertinent legal questions.