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Health of Truck Drivers

Health of Truck Drivers

Rock Hill SC Large Truck / Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer

Under current law, commercial drivers are required to get a physical examination every two years to ensure that they’re fit to operate large motor vehicles. The spirit of the law is to ensure that a detectable medical condition doesn’t cause a driver to lose control or crash a truck or bus and potentially kill or harm dozens of people. However, current regulations allow any doctor to perform the physical – even one who doesn’t practice in general medicine.

Federal officials saw this to be a loophole, as truck drivers could ask their chiropractor or urologist to “sign off” on a medical card certifying the driver to be fit for commercial driving. If one doctor refused to certify a medical card for the driver, he or she could simply shop around until an agreeable doctor would do so.

At the time the law is put into effect, medical cards will be available only from doctors who have undergone a daylong training that educates them about what to look for in truck drivers when deciding whether they’re healthy enough to operate their vehicles safely. The new law will curb doctor-shopping and provide more uniform standards and screening for professional drivers.

The medical issues that certified doctors will keep a special lookout for include:

  • Eye strain
  • Diabetes
  • Chronic stress
  • Skeletal strain
  • Muscular strain
  • Sleep apnea
  • High blood pressure
  • Obesity

Hopefully, the new regulations will decrease the number of truck accidents. Because North and South Carolina are travel hubs, motorists and passengers here are particularly vulnerable to semi truck crashes.

Contact the Large Truck / Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer

If you have suffered a serious injury in a truck accident, contact the personal injury firm of Bice Law serving both North Carolina and South Carolina. You only have a limited time after your injury to file a claim, so act quickly.  Call 877-BICE-877 today or submit an online request  to get a free consultation with a  large truck / tractor trailer accident attorneyWe serve families across both North and South Carolina.  Results are how we measure success – we’ve built a strong reputation both in and out of the courtroom, and we’ll put our experience and expertise to work on your behalf.

Source: republican-eagle.com, “New Regulations Will Require Bus, Truck Drivers To Get Certified Exams,” Sarah Gorvin, Nov. 16, 2012

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