When appointing a commercial driver for your business, it’s standard practice to conduct pre-employment driver’s medical examinations. A commercial driver handle all kinds of heavy vehicles to carry goods and machinery used to construct and transport people. All commercial drivers must be physically and mentally fit for a risky and sensitive job involving public and personal safety.

Drivers must undergo specific medical examinations to check their medical history, vision, drug levels, and Musculoskeletal Screening. Read more to get into the details regarding commercial driver medicals.

Commercial Driver Medicals; What To Expect

Regardless of the general examination, commercial drivers undergo specific tests that are more crucial than others; here are the details of the top priority drivers’ medical tests.

Vision Examination

The rules are flexible about passing a driving test and getting a license for your daily driving. As for commercial drivers, the regulations are tight. As a commercial driver, you must be able to read a number plate from a distance of 20 yards. No glasses or contacts are allowed. Apart from that, commercial drivers also need to have a vision of 0.8 (6/7.5) in their best eye and at least 0.1 (6/60) in the other eye (Snellen scale).

However, if you have weakness or vision loss in one eye but can pass the test with your good eye, you will be eligible to drive commercially.

Neurological Conditions Examination

These conditions include but aren’t limited to epilepsy, memory issues, seizures, Parkinson’s disease, Visual inattention, etc. These conditions can be dangerous for any driver, let alone a commercial one. You will be examined for these and more to assess the level of your neurological fitness.

Mental Health

Mental fitness can’t be measured like physical fitness, and it’s also not as apparent. However, it’s essential, just as physical fitness, when you talk about passing driver’s medicals for commercial transportation. Mental health conditions that the examiner will look for include, but aren’t limited to, depression, panic attacks, anxiety, agitation, OCD, Multiple personality disorder, and sudden mood changes.

If you have a history of any of these, you will be questioned strictly and extensively regarding these subjects until the examiner deems you mentally fit for the job.

Heart Conditions

Candidates undergo specific tests to gauge their heart health. You must tell your examiner beforehand if you have had any heart surgeries, attacks, strokes, angina, a pacemaker implant, or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. These conditions won’t get you disqualified or fail your interview if you get the right treatment and medication.

Alcohol and Drug Use

DUI, or driving under the influence, is a punishable crime by law; it has serious consequences. All drivers are strictly examined and undergo blood tests to check for alcohol and drug abuse.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a common illness; it doesn’t disqualify you. However, you need to be able to assure the examiner that you are managing your condition and taking regular medication for it as well.

Conclusions

All commercial drivers need to repeat the driver’s medicals every two years. These medicals are critical to secure a commercial driver’s job.