Driving hazards are biggest concern for process servers
By Tod E. Pendergrass
ent wheel rims can be expensive to replace. Twice in my nineteen
year career, I have blown out tires and bent rims because I was not
Once, I was looking at my map and drove right over a curb. I blew out
two tires and bent both rims. Of course, I had only one spare and would
have been stranded had I not been just blocks from a tire repair center.
The other time, I was again looking down and drifted onto the shoulder
where there just happened to be a pothole. This time, I blew only one
tire but bent a very expensive aluminum rim. The replacement cost of
the new rim was $750.00! Luckily, I found a used one for $175.00; still
not cheap.
But all this pales in comparison when I realized what the costs could
have been had I hit a person instead of a curb or pothole; and I am not
just referring to dollars. The legal and emotional costs would have been
much higher. I could have destroyed someone’s life and the lives of
their friends and family. I, too, would have suffered greatly because of
guilt and the possibility of being charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Then there’s the civil side of it. I could also be sued for negligence. I
should know as I’ve served this very type of process to others who have
found themselves in this unfortunate, and avoidable, situation.
Nowadays, I am much more careful; especially when serving process in
a neighborhood and especially during summer vacation and at night. I
am writing this story because, just the other day, I avoided a near
tragedy. While traveling to a home address to serve process in a
neighborhood in broad daylight, a young girl on a scooter shot out of her
driveway right in front of me without first looking for cars. I was not
speeding and was able to stop in time but, it was close. But then again, I
wasn’t speeding when I hit the curb or pothole. Had I been looking at my
map or for a house number, things could have been very different.
We all owe it to our communities to drive as safely as possible when on
the job and at all times. Kids like the girl mentioned above need us to
look out for them. Kids will be kids. Just like the cops, our goal is to
make it home to our families every day safe and sound. None of us
wants to receive a ticket, be involved in an accident, be bitten by a dog
or assaulted by someone we just served. And, believe me, none of us
wants to kill ourselves or someone else just for the sake of a delivery.
So, pull over when reading your maps. Slow down when looking for the
house number. And, always expect that some kid will run out in front of
your car. After years of serving process, sooner or later, it will happen.
Be ready for it.
B
paying attention to my driving while serving process.