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Legislators to explore drug-testing solution
Published on Tuesday, Jul 22, 2008
Associated Press
WASHINGTON: Tractor-trailer and bus drivers in the United States have suffered seizures, heart attacks or unconscious spells behind the wheel, leading to deadly crashes on the highway. Hundreds of thousands of drivers carry commercial licenses, even though they also qualify for full federal disability payments, according to a new U.S. safety study.
The Government Accountability Office said 563,000 commercial drivers were determined by the Veterans Affairs Department, Labor Department or Social Security Administration to also be eligible for full disability benefits because of health issues
Investigators identified more than 1,000 drivers with vision, hearing or seizure disorders, which generally would prohibit a trucker from obtaining a valid commercial license.
The U.S. Transportation Department said 5,300 people died in crashes involving large commercial trucks or buses in
2006, the latest year for which figures are available, and about 126,000 more were injured.
The U.S. agency responsible for cracking down on unfit truckers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, acknowledges it hasn't completed any of eight recommendations that U.S. safety regulators have proposed since 2001. One would set minimum standards for officials who determine whether truckers are medically safe to drive. Another would prevent truckers from ''doctor shopping'' to find a physician who might overlook a risky health condition.
Truckers violating federal medical rules have been caught in every state, according to a review by the AP of 7.3 million commercial driver violations compiled by the Transportation Department in 2006, the latest data available. Drivers in Ohio and 11 other states were sanctioned most frequently for breaking medical rules, such as failing to carry a valid medical certificate.
Congress may take action soon. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led by Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., will conduct oversight hearings Thursday. One proposal would create a clearinghouse for drug test results for commercial truck drivers to make it easier for employers to conduct checks.
Get the full article here.
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