| At the present time, the federal government | | | | Many people have the false notion that driving |
| requires pre-employment drug tests and then | | | | after smoking marijuana is safer than driving after |
| random testing after being hired for all commercial | | | | drinking. This is simply not true. Marijuana can |
| truck drivers. The law specifically states that | | | | affect concentration, perception and reaction time |
| drivers with a commercial driver's license (CDL) | | | | as long as 24 hours after it is smoked. That is |
| are subject to drug testing as are truck | | | | much, much longer than alcohol affects a driver's |
| owner-operators with a CDL and motor carriers | | | | behavior. |
| who employ drivers with a CDL. | | | | Marijuana has been found to be a factor in over |
| A recent study by the Insurance Institute for | | | | 12% of fatal trucking accidents. In recent years, |
| Traffic Safety showed that 15% of all interstate | | | | out of the truckers tested randomly for drugs |
| truck drivers had marijuana in their system, 12% | | | | and alcohol, a whopping 45% showed marijuana in |
| had stimulants (non-prescription), 5% had | | | | their system. |
| prescription stimulants, 2% had cocaine and less | | | | Methamphetamine |
| than 1% had alcohol in their system. | | | | Due to the very long hours they often have to |
| Alcohol | | | | work, truck drivers are always looking for ways |
| Regarding alcohol use, a driver does not have to | | | | to stay awake and alert to meet deadlines. It has |
| be drunk to be impaired. Even very low blood | | | | been reported that 17 out of every 20 truckers |
| alcohol content (BAC) levels impair driving | | | | say it is very easy to find methamphetamine at |
| performance by reducing the driver's reaction | | | | truck stops along their route. Truckers have |
| time and slowing his decision-making process. At | | | | recently been succumbing more and more to the |
| the current time, the federal government prohibits | | | | powerful drug due to the fact it can keep people |
| commercial truck drivers, railroad and mass transit | | | | awake for several hours and sometimes days at |
| workers, marine employees, and aircraft pilots | | | | a time. Surveys and roadside tests have indicated |
| from operating vehicles with a BAC at or greater | | | | that one in five truckers use stimulants on some |
| than 0.04%. The number of accidents caused by | | | | of their trips. |
| intoxicated truck drivers has actually decreased in | | | | Perhaps there is a need for more drug testing of |
| recent years. Statistics show that approximately | | | | our nation's truck drivers. Though most truckers |
| only 1-3% of trucking accidents are caused by an | | | | are tested randomly after their date of hire, |
| impaired truck driver. | | | | many of them even say it is not often enough. |
| Marijuana | | | | |