Georgia Injury Law Blog
Atlanta truck accident lawyers have been aware for a while now that federal trucking safety laws governing drug and alcohol use by truck drivers have far too many loopholes that allow a truck driver with a drug use history, to slip through.The new bill would plug these loopholes, essentially weeding out drug users from the system. Truck accidents generally result in severe personal injuries and a wrongful death. When these accidents involve a truck driver who has been using drugs or alcohol, the outcome is not only tragic, but preventable.
The legislation, called the Safe Roads Act, has been introduced by US Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman.The legislation would implement the recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office, advising the establishment of a driver test database.The database would contain information about positive drug test results from commercial truck and bus drivers from around the country.
The database can be used by trucking companies before they hire a prospective employee.Doctors, trucking companies and service agents would be required to furnish updated and accurate information about positive drug test results.With accurate, reliable and frequently updated information available, trucking companies would be able to make safe hiring decisions, thereby reducing the risk of trucking accidents involving one of their vehicles.
Currently, truck drivers with a drug use history are able to find employment because they conceal this information from their future employers.Often, trucking companies do not have access to the information they need to hire a safer driver.Both of these problems can be solved with the establishment of the database.
Commercial motor vehicle drivers are at a high risk of drug use and abuse.The trucking industry has always denied that there’s a problem with truck drivers who are able to find jobs at trucking companies even with a prior history of drug use.However, Atlanta truck accident attorneys have been aware for a while that the current system is rife with loopholes that fail to keep such drivers out of the system.