Washington - House Panel Probing Medically Unfit Truckers |
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The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's study -- expected to be released at a hearing Thursday -- found that there are so few controls over how drivers obtain medical certificates that it's "relatively easy for a motivated commercial driver to circumvent the physical examination requirement." Nor is there any database or central repository which would allow state inspectors to verify the legitimacy of a medical certificate.
"Because so few attempts are made to authenticate a certificate, there is little risk that a driver will be caught if he or she forges or adulterates a certificate," according to the report, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
The committee called officials of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to explain at the hearing why the agency hasn't fully implemented recommendations made nearly seven years ago on how to keep medically unfit truck drivers off the road.
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1
Jul 24, 2008 at 02:48 PM bigwheeel Says:
Why now??? (The congressional hearing)! Statistically, there haven't been an unusually high number of [fatal] accidents involving "Big Rigs" that were attributable to heart failure or seizures! Most [serious] accidents with tractor-trailers occur on wet roads, where the rig "Jacknifes" (not "Jackknife")! To remedy that [problem] better [brake] pressure regulating equipment should be installed (to even the braking power between the front and the rear wheels)!!!
2
Jul 24, 2008 at 04:29 PM English teacher Says:
The big problem is truckers who suffer from sleep disorders, such as OSA, and are dozing and taking micro-sleeps at the wheel. Sleep deprived truckers are causes of many accidents, and the victims often do not get out alive.