The mission of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. You are responsible for your own safety, as well as the safety of all the people who share the road with you. The DOT physical examination can only be performed by a certified Medical Examiner. The physical exam will confirm you are medically qualified to safely perform the demanding job of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver. In the interest of public safety, CMV drivers are held to higher physical, mental and emotional standards than passenger car drivers.
What is the most common factor that may disqualify a driver during a physical examination?Many people unknowingly are living with elevated blood pressure, also known as hypertension. High blood pressure can quietly damage your body for years before symptoms develop. It makes the heart work harder to pump out blood to the body. This contributes to hardening of the arteries, which may lead to a stroke, heart attack, kidney disease, and heart failure. Treatment and lifestyle changes can help control high blood pressure to reduce risk of life-threatening complications. The driver should have ongoing blood pressure management and be free of side effects that may impair safe driving.
There are many lifestyle and diet modifications to lower your blood pressure. Only you have the power to control your health and well being. Just because you have hypertension doesn’t mean you have to take a medication and live with the condition for the rest of your life. Research studies have shown that environmental factors highly contribute to hypertension.
- Stress is a key driver to elevated blood pressure, especially when you have a timeline to meet and traffic is backed up. Regular exercise is one of the best remedies to reduce stress and high blood pressure. It makes your heart stronger and more effective at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in the arteries. Daily walking for at least 30 minutes is recommended and increase as tolerated. Exercising will also assist in weight loss. Another way to lower stress is listening to soothing music while driving.
- Unfortunately, when you are on the go, fast and easy access to food is all you have time for. High salt intake is consumed daily due to processed and prepared foods. Some studies have shown there is a correlation to high salt intake and the increased risk of hypertension and stroke. Replace fast foods with fresh ingredients like fruits and vegetables; and try seasoning with herbs and spices, instead of salt.
- Alcohol and tobacco smoking are strong risk factors for heart disease. In the US, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. Every puff of cigarette smoke causes a slight, temporary increase in blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco are also known to damage blood vessels. Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake can help reverse the risk for heart disease.