Important facts about Commercial Driving Licensing and Medical Examination
Many individual have changed careers to join other commercial automobile drivers. Some do it for the thrill of being on the road and controlling the big truck machines. Others do it to increase their income. Irrespective of the reasons for joining the commercial driving industry, the new comers and regular drivers should be aware that they are required to take routine and regular medical examination. Commercial driving involves being on the road for long hours on end. In addition, the commercial driver has to be attentive throughout the journey to steer the heavy truck machine to its final destination. This drivers cannot afford to make mistakes on the road as this will endanger their lives, pedestrians, and other motorist lives. Hence the department of transport requires them to go through a rigorous medical examination exercise.
In the past any physician was qualified to carry out a commercial driver medical and physical examination. However, owing to the importance of the department of transport - DOT medical exam, physicians have to be certified by the relevant agency to carry out the test on their behalf. As such the physician is trained on some unique aspects of the DOT medical exam and test for their proficiency. After passing the proficiency test, the physicians will be accredited to carry out DOT medical test. The commercial driver applicants should take note of this and visit the accredited physicians.
The DOT medical test is meant to ascertain that the driver is in good health and right physical condition to undertake the task of driving a commercial vehicle. The medical examiners are interested in the current and historical medical condition of the applicant. The driver will therefore undergo a series of organ tests. This includes the cardiovascular, blood pressure, blood sugar, lung and urine tests. If the applicant has any heart condition, they have to get a clearance from a cardiovascular specialist certifying that they are allowed to drive in their condition.
Another area of importance is the mental state of the driver. The medical examiner will check the applicant for a history of mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, epilepsy and dementia. The candidate would have to be in a good mental state to be allowed to handle commercial vehicles. On the other hand, the physical examinations involve the reflexes, vision, and hearing tests. The medical and physical examinations give the DOT official confidence in the driver's ability to drive, balance and control the heavy commercial machines. The medical exams are a safety precaution which the applicants and commercial drivers should be glad to comply with.
These medical tests are not perpetual but have to be carried out from time to time depending on the current or historical condition of the candidate in question. If a commercial driver or applicant has got a clean bill of health, they will have to take another test after two years. If the applicant has got historical or current chronic medical conditions, they have to take the DOT medical tests more regularly to ascertain that they are still capable of dispensing their duties.