The Department of Transportation has announced that it will propose some changes to be made to rules regarding drug testing.

This week, DOT published a Notice of Proposed Rule Making. This notice indicates that the Dept. of Transportation wishes to coordinate diazepam for whiplash drug testing standards with those set by Health and Human Services. The rule making will include a number of new provisions according to DOT representatives, and centers on urine samples that are taken for testing. Truck drivers will be tested for MDMA, which is also known as ecstasy. MDMA, or Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, is a Class A drug.

The proposed rule making also includes conducting a mandatory testing for cocaine initially, and lower cut off points when cocaine or amphetamines are detected. The rule making will also allow employers to choose between a full service laboratory and an Instrumental Initial Test facility, which will be certified by Health and Human Services for conducting initial tests.

The regulation and overseeing of medical review officers involved in these drug tests will also be dealt with in the rule making. According to the rule making, nationally recognized Medical Review Officer certification bodies and any sub specialty boards for medical practitioners in this area will be approved by Health and Human Services with regards to qualifications, certifications and examinations.

Health and Human Services estimates that at least 10 percent more users of cocaine and amphetamines could be identified if the lower cutoff points are adopted. Semi truck accident lawyers in California have been concerned about drug use in commercial truck drivers for some time. Within the trucking industry, drug use by truckers is fairly common knowledge. Methamphetamine use among truckers is higher than that in the general population, according to studies, and truckers are at increased risk of abusing these drugs.

Truckers use these types of drugs more often due to their ability to increase alertness and wakefulness. Truckers can stay awake longer, diazepam 5mg for sale meaning they can drive for longer periods of time. However, as the methamphetamines begin to wear off, the normal symptoms of sleepiness set in like tiredness, drowsiness and fatigue, which may cause the trucker to fall asleep at the wheel.

A truck driver who uses these drugs puts not only himself but other motorists at huge risks of serious accidents. The new rule making process will be a welcome relief to truck safety groups and California truck accident attorneys, who believe this rule could be the action necessary to help eliminate drug users from the commercial trucking industry.