Originally Posted by
genec
When someone makes a deliberate choice to drive in a manner that is not recommended, not advised and may be against the law... then it isn't an "accident."
Failing to remain fully engaged, while driving a car, is a deliberate choice. Few auto "accidents" are "acts of god;" more often then not, they are failures in judgement.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/crash-not-accident
Here is the big difference... could the crash have been avoided by the driver? Not an Act of God then.
Sure, accidents do occur... such as sliding on black ice that wasn't recognizable, or hitting a deer that jumped out of the woods at the last second... these can be considered accidents, and Acts of God. Speeding, distraction, changing the radio, driving tired, failing to signal... any of those are deliberate acts by drivers.
This is not about "making up definitions of words." It IS about accepting responsibility for one's actions behind the wheel and not passing poor driving judgement off as something "unavoidable." The term "accident" as it is typically used today with regard to automobile collisions, IS actually a variation on the original definition of "accident." (IE, it was inLdeed a "made up" meaning.)
So, it is OK to slip on black ice, but it is not OK to lose traction on wet pavement?
We don't know a lot about this accident other than the driver was deemed to be driving too fast for road conditions, but it wasn't stated whether that was greater or less than the speed limit.
Likewise, slipping on black ice may mean driving too fast for road conditions, as well as poor experience steering out of a slide (which is tricky).
Here in the West, we have dry summers, then it can be downright treacherous with the first rain.
Hydroplaning can be a problem when some vehicles hit certain types of standing water.
Bald Tires?
Was the truck loaded or empty? A load can push a truck around some and increase stopping distance, whereas the rearend of an empty truck can be downright squirrely.