Healthcare professionals are going to have to be better trained, tested and certified when it comes to examining truckers nationwide. The improvement was recently announced through a new rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to help to reduce the risks of accidents in Fellsmere and elsewhere.
These healthcare professionals examine truckers to make sure that their health and their physical qualifications are up to par and they’re safe on our roadways. In addition, the new rule is pushing a new online database of medical examiners who have completed the certification process. We need to keep a closer eye on our truck drivers nationwide to help make our roadways safer for all. Better and healthier truck drivers can do just that and we need better trained medical examiners to help us get there.
Our Broward accident lawyers understand that truckers are required to undergo this examination once every two years in order to keep their commercial driver’s license and to operate a commercial vehicle. Reexamination of these drivers is critical in making sure they’re equipped to handle these large vehicles and stay out of potentially fatal accidents. It is important that these drivers are healthy and are not suffering from any debilitating medical conditions. Just in 2009, trucking accidents took the lives of more than 3,100 people across the U.S. Keeping a closer eye on these drivers can help us to reduce this number.
“This new rule will ensure that healthcare professionals conducting exams keep in mind all of the demands required to operate large trucks and passenger buses safely,” said USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood.
The new database, called the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners, is a tool from the FMCSA that is being used to help assist its commitment to holding medical examiners accountable when examining our truckers. Part of the safety of our roadways lies in their hands. Being more in tune with the kinds of health conditions that trucks are subjected to will help to reduce the risks of injuries and fatalities resulting from trucking accidents. The nationwide database is used as a supplement to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) new recommendations regarding training for these examiners as well as keeping better track of driver medical certificates and examinations.
Within the next month, the FMCSA will be posting uniform testing and training standards on its website for medical examiners. When these new standards are posted then individuals will be able to look them over and even sign up for updates on the new rule.
In two years, all those who are certified in these examinations will be required to be listed on the National Registry database. Those who don’t keep up with their certifications and training will be taken off of the registry.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a trucking accident in Broward County or elsewhere throughout South Florida, contact Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez for legal assistance. Call 1-800-529-2368 to schedule a free and confidential appointment to discuss your case.
More Blog Entries:
Car Accidents in Riviera Beach and Elsewhere Targeted by FHP Safety Campaign, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, April 2, 2012
Advocates Warn Teens of Large Truck Accidents in West Palm and Elsewhere, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, June 8, 2011