Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/428510
18 www.studentdriverplacement.com December '14 Or Not Preventable Doe Can't Sneak By Snack Van W i nter hauling in a straight truck had paid off for driver John Doe – as evidenced, in part, by his acquisition of two polychro- matic battery-operated "Smurdley Super Strike" bass lures that emitted enticing noises, thrashed around a whole bunch and had enough LEDs to generate a light VKRZ$ODV'RH·VSURÀWDEOHZD\VZHUH about to take a beating … along with an illegally parked Chevy van owned by "Tasty Hot Lunch Inc." The collision would occur at high noon un- der a cloudless sky as Doe had pulled away from the freight dock of the local food distri- bution center and was proceeding cautious- ly down a narrow one-way exit road when he saw that his path was obstructed partially. The obstacle in question was a steaming OXQFKZDJRQW\SHYDQWKDW·GGURSSHGDQFKRU in a "No Parking" zone to sell fresh sand- wiches and beverages to hungry freight handlers. Eyeballing the situation, Doe determined that clearance was adequate to squeak past the van, so he started to pass the other vehi- FOHDWDVQDLO·VSDFH-XVWDV'RHZDVDERXW WRFOHDUWKHVFHQHWKHYDQ·VGULYHU-LPP\ Dorfman, swung open both rear doors, and WKHYDQ·VOHIWGRRUZDVWRXFKLQJWKHVLGH RI'RH·VWUXFN$UPHGZLWKWKHOLJKWQLQJUH ÁH[HVRIDSURIHVVLRQDOWUXFNGULYHU'RHGH tected the sudden door-opening maneuver in his shotgun-side West Coast and instantly KLWWKHEUDNHVEXW«:+8032KQR 7KHULJKWUHDUFRUQHURI'RH·VWUXFNKDG VQDJJHGRQHRIWKHYDQ·VGRRUVFULQNOLQJLW DQGFDXVLQJWKHYHQGRU·VVXSSOLHVWRFDV FDGHRQWRWKHJURXQG6LQFH'RHFRQWHVW ed the preventable-accident warning letter IURPKLVVDIHW\GLUHFWRUWKH1DWLRQDO6DIHW\ &RXQFLO·V$FFLGHQW5HYLHZ&RPPLWWHHZDV DVNHGIRULQSXW7R'RH·VUHOLHI16&GH FODUHGLWQRQSUHYHQWDEOHVLQFHKHFRXOGQ·W have anticipated that Dorfman suddenly would swing the van doors open. X As John Doe was squeaking his straight truck by a parked van in a narrow space, the van's driver opened the rear doors, one of which was damaged by Doe's truck. Was this a preventable accident?