Sunday, June 30, 2013

A DOT Physical Helps To Keep The Roads Safe To Travel

By Lawanda Burch


A Department of Transportation is normally charged with making the roads safer for travelers and truckers alike. One of the ways they do this is by making sure the drivers of the big trucks on the highway are healthy enough to perform their duties and will not become a hazard to those they are sharing the road with. A driver who wishes to either obtain or hold onto their commercial drivers license with have to pass a DOT physical. They will be checked to make sure their physical condition is good enough to be put in charge of vehicles that could cause a lot of damage if they are involved in an accident.

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.

Drivers with a slightly higher blood pressure can usually get a certificate to operate a truck that last for a year. Those who levels are a little higher than this may only be able to drive for a few months before they have to be rechecked. Very high pressures will normally disqualify a driver from operating a rig until they get their pressure lowered through the use of medication.

A person should expect to have their sugar levels checked. This is done to determine is one has developed a case of diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes has been known to cause people to become unconscious without much warning. People suffering from a bout of high sugar levels have also been known to become disoriented and not know what is happening around them. Both conditions can be hazardous when driving a vehicle.

Operators who are diabetic present some concerns for Department of Transportation officials. An operator who is controlling their condition through the use of oral medications or exercise can usually still work. However, a person who needs to inject insulin to control blood sugars will often have to retire and find another job.

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.

A DOT physical is done for each driver to make sure they are healthy enough to operate trucks safely. The agencies want to make sure there are not any health problems that could affect their ability to do their job. Failure to pass the tests could interfere with their ability to continue on in their current occupation.




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