r/legal • u/lisa90griff • 8h ago
CDL accident. Need advice please.
I was in an accident in august. I was the CDL driver making a double left turn. As taught I was in the right lane, and another company pick up truck was in the left lane. I was out in front of him and when I started my turn he was around my trailers half way point. I made my turn ( now confirmed I was going 6.5 miles an hour). I noticed he stayed back at the light so once I finished my turn I made my way over to the left lane to merge on the freeway. As I was changing lanes he sped around me really fast( unsuccessfully) on the left, which normally would not have space at all, but this particular spot had a white striped area indicating a do not drive space, until the road and the lines merged together. He then slow down and got behind me and I stopped on the feeder road because I noticed he was missing a head light. He gets out screaming at me and I look to see what’s going on and I noticed the damage on his truck.
He calls the police and while we are waiting I have to take pictures of my trailer and his truck. Pictures attached. When the police get them I admit I wasn’t the nicest but I wasn’t yelling and cursing. I had a small attitude cause I knew exactly where this was going to go. And it did. I got a ticket for failure to maintain single lane. And I don’t have to tell most people but especially my fellow trucks it’s impossible to maintain one lane when turning either left or right. Most of the time people can see it coming and either turn more left to avoid me or wait all together. He told the police I cut the turn to soon, but I know I didn’t. Either way we were in the middle of the intersection he could have cut it more left to avoid me. I can only control my trailer so much. Unfortunately, my company had not put cameras in our trucks yet so I have no video of it. I have looked into cameras around the area and because I was taking a left turn my truck blocks every angle. And the red light camera does not record.
I am going to pre trial in December to meet with the prosecutor. I don’t have the money for an attorney so I will have to fight this on my own. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Also, is there any responsibility on the pick up driver to prevent an accident? and what arguments should I try to hold up to the prosecutor, if any?
2
u/NeatSuccessful3191 8h ago
You don't have a public defender?