What happens to owner operators that acquire 3 or 4 preventable accidents in too short a time period? Do they lose their driving career like company drivers? Are they forced to sell their trucks and go out of business? Is that a risk that all owner operators live with in the back of their minds? Is it another reason why anyone contemplating becoming an owner operator better think long and hard before jumping into the frying pan?

 

If anything you're more disposable when you're an o/o. It is harder to get rid of an employee then a contractor. You're simply "30 days notice" to them. Most companies have a policy(two within 3 years, or whatever) and if you break it you're gone!

 

You just be careful and don't have the accidents. I never gave much thought to having an accident. I just keep an eye out for the other traffic. Anyone who has that many accidents in a short time period will be considered careless and a high risk for a carrier, whether it is an owner operator or company driver. The only difference is in who's name is on the title of the equipment.

 

I don’t have accidents either and neither do I think about it. I just trained myself in the beginning to be extra careful and those practices eventually turned into working habits that have kept me accident free. Knock on wood.

Nevertheless, I’ve seen so many drivers’ careers get toasted from minor preventable accidents, especially when they first start out. However, I’ve also seen a few get their careers toasted because of minor accidents even after years of driving.

I also know several drivers who are on their second and third rounds of driving after having been forced to sit out a few years until their previous accidents fell off their records. Hell, one of them was involved in a roll over accident with a death and he got back on after sitting out for 5 years.

In any event, losing your career via preventable accidents is still something that shouldn’t be discounted for anyone contemplating becoming an owner operator.

 

I do not understand how preventables affect O/O's. Unless it is because their insurance was cancelled and they are unable to renew to find someone to insure them. I seriously doubt most carriers and brokers check and much less withhold loads because of driving records.

 

Eventually you won't be able to afford the insurance. Leased to a carrier you are under their liability insurance so yes they care. I think CH Robinson would disagree about brokers caring along with many others.

 

I wasn't thinking about those who don't have their own authority.

 

With your own authority eventually the accidents would drive the cost of insurance up.

 

Don't some brokers check a carrier's safestat prior to allowing them to haul for them? Wouldn't accidents play a part in their decision?

 

That's why i referenced CH Robinson. In safestat you have the OOS rate and accidents that you check,also many times you will not use a non-rated carrier. Newer # mainly.