Mississippi Truck Driver Used Crack Before Deadly Crash
At 12:30 Saturday afteroon, July 14, a tractor-trailer crossed the center-line of Hwy 425 near Pine Bluff, AR, crashing into a car, killing a family of five. After the accident, the driver admitted to using crack cocaine before the accident.
What’s the moral of this story?
Obviously you don’t want to hire an idiot like this, but sometimes you don’t realize a driver has a substance abuse problem until it’s too late. Make sure your drug and alcohol testing program is being done according to Hoyle. If, God forbid, you are involved in a big accident where your driver was under the influence, both DOT and plaintiffs’ attorneys are going to be crawling all over your drug and alcohol testing program. Make sure that it can pass muster, or they’ll blame you for this type of accident.
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Eric Arnold is a Former Enforcement Agent with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and a leading expert on USDOT compliance for small businesses. Do you have a question for Eric Arnold? Email him at eric@arnoldsafety.com.
Arnold Safety simplifies D.O.T. Compliance for commercial vehicle operators. Get Eric Arnold’s USDOT Compliance Guide, DVD, & Regulations at ArnoldSafety.Com.
Learn more about Arnold Safety compliance consulting services at ArnoldSafety.Com.
Alcohol & Drug Compliance
DOT probably levies more penalties for failing to drug and alcohol testing than any others. Particularly to the smaller, local type companies who are not your traditional “for-hire” motor carriers, ie, landscapers, utilities, construction companies, etc. If you have vehicles which require a CDL license, you are subject to drug and alcohol testing. This includes: pre-employment testing, random testing, post-accident testing, reasonable suspicion testing, and possibly even return-to-duty testing. I am working with a small scrap iron dealer from the wilds of Minnesota. The government is charging him with missing two random tests, and two pre-employment tests. Overall the fine is $19,000 and change. Don’t let this happen to you, learn what you need to do! Buy the DVD.
