Home » Law and Legal Articles » Medical Certificates Ensure Safe Roads and Prevent Truck Accidents
Medical Certificates Ensure Safe Roads and Prevent Truck Accidents
Changes to the truckers' medical certificate requirements have been temporarily put on hold.
September 08, 2011 /Law and Legal PR News/ -- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently proposed an extension of the trucking medical certificate requirement until 2014. To comply with the current rule and its requirements, truck drivers must undergo routine medical exams to receive their medical certificates. They must also physically carry these certificates with them while working. This FMCSA rule ensures that truck drivers are medically fit to drive, which helps to prevent truck accidents caused by medial issues, and keeps the roads safer for everyone.
Current Requirements
Under the current FMCSA rule, drivers must submit to routine physical examinations. These must be conducted by licensed medical personnel, like medical doctors or physician assistants, every two years. However, a medical professional may require a driver to be examined more frequently if necessary, for instance if they have a condition like high blood pressure. Drivers who pass these physicals receive a copy of the results, and the examining medical professional completes the medical examiner's certificate form of the medical examination report.
FMCSA Extension
In June of this year, the FMCSA issued a proposed rule to extend the requirement for truck drivers to retain a physical copy of their medical certificate while working until 2014. Under the requirement, trucking companies must also keep copies of these certificates on file. This requirement was scheduled to expire in 2012. However, the FMCSA wants to ensure drivers maintain their medical qualifications while a new reporting system is implemented.
Under the new system, drivers will send their medical certificates to state licensing agencies, who then forward them to a national driver's license database. However, some states have informed the FMCSA they will not meet the 2012 deadline for the new system, which led to the need for an extension of the current medical certificate requirement. The states still have to implement the new system prior to the 2014 date.
Safety Concerns
Through the medical certificate requirement, the FMCSA wants to ensure a driver's safe performance and avoid potentially problematic health issues. According to the FMCSA, truck drivers must be medically qualified to both drive their commercial vehicles safely and perform other pre and post trip duties as necessary. The medical conditions that could exacerbate the demands of driving commercially, possibly causing accidents, and that disqualify drivers include hearing and vision loss, epilepsy and insulin use. Exemptions do exist for some drivers with diabetes or vision loss.
If you were recently in an accident with a truck or other commercial vehicle where you suspect the driver was not in a physically fit condition to be driving, contact a local personal injury attorney for advice. A personal injury lawyer experienced in truck crashes could further investigate the driver and whether he or she was in compliance with the FMCSA medical certificate requirement, as well as with other commercial driving and traffic rules.
Article provided by Hal Waldman & Associates
Visit us at www.waldmaninc.com
---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com |
|
|
Press Release Contact Information:
Findlaw PR
|
|
|
|
|
| LAW AND LEGAL ARCHIVE SEARCH |
|
|
| |
| SUBMIT LAW AND LEGAL NEWS |
|
|
| |
|
|
Advertise With Us |
About Us |
Contact Us