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Do regulations require Georgia truck drivers get drug tested?

On Behalf of | Nov 4, 2015 | Truck Accidents

Many of our North Georgia readers know that millions of employees throughout America are subject to random drug testing, from fast-food workers to police officers to professional athletes. Why is this practice so prevalent? It is actually quite simple — most employers have no interest in employing a person who may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on the job. As our readers can probably imagine, this is of particular importance for truck drivers.

So, are random drug tests for truck drivers so important that they are actually a part of federal trucking regulations? Absolutely.

The federal government is well-aware of the danger that potentially impaired truck drivers could present to the public. As a result, truck companies must ensure that they adhere to the requisite random drug testing measures outlined in the federal trucking regulations.

In general, the number of random drug and alcohol tests that a truck company must conduct each year is determined by the number of drivers that the company employs. But, it is important to remember that the number of tests mandated by the federal trucking regulations is only a minimum amount — employers can and do conduct more than they are required.

When a truck accident is caused by a truck driver who is either drunk or under the influence of drugs, the random testing process and results for the driver’s employer will most likely come under extreme scrutiny. If a truck company is not adhering to the federal trucking regulations, liability could be assigned to both the driver and the truck company.

Source: Transportation.gov, “Best Practices for DOT Random Drug and Alcohol Testing,” accessed on Oct. 31, 2015

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