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Commercial drivers with serious medical conditions on the road

A new government report concludes that some commercial drivers with serious medical conditions are passing fitness requirements for operating motor vehicles. Released July 21 by the Government Accountability Office the report examined the certification process for drivers with serious medical conditions such as epilepsy, heart attacks or unconscious spells.

Investigators found about 563,000 individuals who held commercial driver's licenses were eligible for full disability benefits. This represents more than four percent of CDL holders analyzed using data from the Department of Transportation as well as medical disability data from the Social Security Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, and the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Labor.

It should be noted that not all serious medical conditions interfere with the safe operation of a commercial vehicle, but some serious medical conditions can and should disqualify drivers from being medically certified according to DOT regulations. Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee met July 24 to review the report findings.