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A DOT Physical Can Determine Who Can Drive Trucks And Who Cannot

By Lawanda Burch


Keeping the roads safe to travel normally falls on the Department of Transportation. There is a division within the agency that tries to ensure that the people who are operating the big trucks that move supplies across the country and within cities are healthy enough to perform the job without unnecessary complications. One of the practices they employ is by having drivers of the vehicles pass a DOT physical before they are giving a new certificate to keep on operating the big trucks. There are several health issues that the agency tends to be more concerned about than others and failure to pass some parts of the test can result in the driver becoming decertified to operate large vehicles.

Having good eyesight can determine whether one will be able to gain or hold onto a commercial drivers license. Those who have good eyesight and can see things clearly will not have a problem with this aspect of the examination. However, those who cannot see well will need to obtain eye glasses or some type of corrective surgery to restore their eyesight be able to continue driving.

The blood pressure of each driver will also probably be checked. Those who have normal pressure will have nothing to worry about. However, those with higher pressures might not pass the test.

A little higher than normal blood pressure reading will normally result in a obtaining certification for about a year. Those who have levels that are above this can expect to be tested again in a few months to see if their levels have gone done. High pressure levels will often result in the driver losing their license. A person can be retested once they get their pressure under control.

Blood sugar levels are also checked by many agencies. High blood sugar often indicates that a person is suffering from diabetes and the operator may have to take medications to control it. A person suffering from uncontrolled diabetes can become unconscious or delirious when their sugar levels fluctuate wildly. One becoming unconscious can happen at any time and could be catastrophic if an operator loses consciousness while speeding down the highway.

Diabetes can be controlled through the use of medication like metformin. A person who controls their blood sugar using this method can still quality for a license. However, drivers who need to use injectable insulin will probably have to find a new career in the industry.

A driver will also be checked for heart disease. One should expect to have a stress test there are any signs their heart is not healthy. This does not mean they will not be able to drive anymore, but one might have to go on medication and be retested later.

Helping to keep roads safe usually involves the Department of Transportation. This agency will usually require drivers to take a DOT physical to make sure they do not have health problems that could affect their ability to operate a truck safely. Drivers who fail these examinations will often lose their driving privileges at least for awhile.




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