Georgia Injury Lawyers Blog
Overview
Like airline pilots, drivers of commercial motor vehicles are subject to fairly rigorous physical health requirements. However, if you spend half an hour at any truck stop you are likely to find drivers who are obviously not physically fit. The lifestyle of the over-the-road trucker is not a healthy one. It is inherently sedentary. Obesity is frequently a problem. Truckers also tend to be heavy cigarette smokers and beer drinking is not unknown in the profession.
In order to legally operate a CMV, a driver must pass a physical examination and be issued a “Medical Examiner’s Certificate” by an examiner qualified under the regulations. The failure to possess a current Certificate may indicate some physical problem that should have prevented the driver from operating a CMV. The paperwork describing the exam, which is frequently made part of the DQ file, may give insight into the driver’s physical health that is not otherwise readily obtainable.