Medical board examines effects of psychiatric disorders on CMV drivers

Jul 27, 2009

Commercial motor vehicle drivers with a history of psychiatric disorders are a potential safety risk, medical experts concluded during a July 1 meeting with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Medical Review Board.

According to a presentation summary, a three-member psychiatric medical expert panel recommended drivers with a history of psychiatric disorders undergo additional medical and psychiatric evaluation to further assess functional ability before being considered qualified to drive a CMV.

The panel also recommended drivers taking benzodiazepine – a drug with properties that can affect the central nervous system and impair driving ability – be prohibited from driving, while others taking lithium be prohibited from nighttime driving.