The Schafer Law Office

Unfit Truck and Bus Drivers Take To The Road

A recent government watchdog found an alarming number of truck and bus drivers were being allowed to get their CDL, commercial driver's licenses, even though there were receiving full medical disability from the Federal government. A person shall not drive a commercial motor vehicle unless he/she is physically qualified to do so according to federal regulations.

It was reported that approximately 4% of these drivers had qualified for benefits allowed by full disability because of medical conditions. This sounds like a small percentage but in real numbers that means around 563,000 drivers are on our roads driving with a medical disability seroius enough to warrant full federal disability.
Not every disability could interfere with a driver’s ability to safely navigate their bus or truck on the roadway but there are many that most assuredly would. These include vision issues, reduced hearing capabilities and, having seizure problems. There are many situations I have seen where a driver’s impaired or decreased reaction time has been the cause of an accident.

The latest statistics available from the U.S. Transportation Department stated that in 2006 approximately 5,300 people were killed in crashes that involved either buses or large commercial trucks. Another 126,000 were injured in those accidents. Apparently last summer a federal safety study looked into these numbers and found that the leading cause of these accidents were cases where the drivers either fell asleep, had a heart attack or a seizure. Some of those cases included otherwise healthy drivers who had fallen asleep at the wheel. I can only speculate as to whether pain medications from those on disability had any affect.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the agency charged with cracking down on drivers who are not healthy enough to drive. They have admitted they have not completed any of the eight reccomendations proposed since 2001.
Automobile accidents are terrifying and often tragic. When you get behind the wheel of a car you take on a responsibility for that car. That responsibility increases greatly when you get behind the wheel of a vehicle that weighs 40 tons or more. Also if you get behind the wheel of a vehicle that is carrying several people those passengers are relying on the drivers’ responsibility for their safety.

As an attorney in Louisville, KY I have had many cases involving irresponsible drivers and the consequences have ranged from no serious injury to a fatality. Responsibility is vital when you get behind the wheel.