What to Do if You Have an Accident
Get Help—If You’re Injured or If You’re Not
If you or someone else is injured, call for medical attention. Then, let your Steward know right away so he/she can advise you.
Call the Company and tell them what happened. If you believe you were injured as a result of the accident, contact a workman’s compensation representative. We recommend Rubin, Ambramson, LLP.
Always Notify the Company
Even if the accident is just a broken mirror on the Company vehicle, call it in. You can get fired if you don’t report even the smallest of accidents.
In Local 804, you won’t get fired if you have an accident and you report it to the Company. If it is your first accident, be calm! Whatever “Tier” level the seriousness is, Local 804’s contract does not allow for immediate discharge over an accident.
But dishonesty, including failure to report an accident that you’re aware of, can lead to immediate discharge. So which do you think is better, calling the company and telling the truth, or covering it up?
Remember, there are cameras and video everywhere. You will not be fired for reporting an accident even if it was your fault—as long as drugs or alcohol aren’t involved. (The company can test you after the accident, so don’t be doing something you shouldn’t be.)
It takes three accidents in a 12-month period for your job to be put in jeopardy. But a failure to report just one accident can lead to immediate termination.
If you have two accidents in a year, and it’s your fault, you may face a suspension. If you are getting into accidents that often, you need to reevaluate how you do things. Stop taking shortcuts and/or rushing. Stop skipping methods.
“Runners” are company favorites until you do something wrong. When it is your job vs. your supervisor’s, guess whose job they will protect!
Get Details of the Accident
After you’ve notified management, take pictures with your phone if you can and send them to your Steward. Be sure to write down the location and time of the accident, personal information of others involved and any other details.
Important information includes:
- Name
- Driver’s license
- Vehicle license plate and registration
- Year, color, make and model of any other vehicles involved
- Insurance information
Don’t leave the scene
It is against the law to leave the scene of an accident until after the police have arrived. When it comes to breaking the law or listening to a rogue supervisor that says to keep delivering, make the smart choice!
If only the company vehicle is damaged, it is safe to drive, and a supervisor instructs you to continue to do deliveries, and then write down what you are told with the time, date, and name of the supervisor.