GREATER MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE SEEN NECESSARY FOR DRIVERS

ANALYSIS OF 395 TRUCK AND 5 BUS ACCIDENTS HAS SHOWN THAT THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE DRIVERS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE. THE BUREAU OF MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY STATED THAT "SOME OF THESE INSTANCES MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD THE MOTOR CARRIERS EMPLOYED ADDITIONAL MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE OVER DRIVERS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED SOME TYPE OF KNOWN PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY." OF THE 400 DRIVERS, 303 FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, 45 DRIVERS HAD BEEN DRINKING, 26 BLACKED OUT, 21 SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK, AND 5 HAD BEEN USING DRUGS. FATALITIES WERE HIGHEST IN THE HEART ATTACK ACCIDENTS. THE ACCIDENT-CAUSATION CLASSES ARE BROKEN DOWN BY AGE OF DRIVER AND LENGTH OF SERVICE.

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00223928
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: May 7 1973 12:00AM