Truckers Under the Influence Can Cause Serious Accidents

At the present time, the federal governmentMany people have the false notion that driving
requires pre-employment drug tests and thenafter smoking marijuana is safer than driving after
random testing after being hired for all commercialdrinking. This is simply not true. Marijuana can
truck drivers. The law specifically states thataffect 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 truckmuch, much longer than alcohol affects a driver's
owner-operators with a CDL and motor carriersbehavior.
who employ drivers with a CDL.Marijuana has been found to be a factor in over
A recent study by the Insurance Institute for12% of fatal trucking accidents. In recent years,
Traffic Safety showed that 15% of all interstateout 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% hadtheir system.
prescription stimulants, 2% had cocaine and lessMethamphetamine
than 1% had alcohol in their system.Due to the very long hours they often have to
Alcoholwork, truck drivers are always looking for ways
Regarding alcohol use, a driver does not have toto stay awake and alert to meet deadlines. It has
be drunk to be impaired. Even very low bloodbeen reported that 17 out of every 20 truckers
alcohol content (BAC) levels impair drivingsay it is very easy to find methamphetamine at
performance by reducing the driver's reactiontruck stops along their route. Truckers have
time and slowing his decision-making process. Atrecently been succumbing more and more to the
the current time, the federal government prohibitspowerful drug due to the fact it can keep people
commercial truck drivers, railroad and mass transitawake for several hours and sometimes days at
workers, marine employees, and aircraft pilotsa time. Surveys and roadside tests have indicated
from operating vehicles with a BAC at or greaterthat one in five truckers use stimulants on some
than 0.04%. The number of accidents caused byof their trips.
intoxicated truck drivers has actually decreased inPerhaps there is a need for more drug testing of
recent years. Statistics show that approximatelyour nation's truck drivers. Though most truckers
only 1-3% of trucking accidents are caused by anare tested randomly after their date of hire,
impaired truck driver.many of them even say it is not often enough.
Marijuana