NewsOn6.com - Tulsa, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports - KOTV.com | How Do You Know A Trucker Is Safe To Drive?
Dr. Gregory Brooks performs from 50 to 100 physicals on truckers each week.
Tests truckers undergo include vision, hearing, strength and reflexes.
The age of the trucker who caused the recent I-44 crash has caused some to question the requirements.By Dan Bewley and Scott Thompson, The News On 6
TULSA, OK --Thousands of semis travel Oklahoma roads every day. So how do you know if the men or women behind the wheel are fit to handle a big rig?
There are certain criteria the drivers have to meet before they get in the driver's seat. A big piece of getting a commercial driver's license in Oklahoma takes place in a doctor's office. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires all drivers who take their trucks across state lines to pass a physical exam every two years.
Dr. Gregory Brooks at Concentra Urgent Care performs between 50 and 100 physicals every week.
"Take it very serious," Brooks said of the physical exam.
Dr. Brooks says the physical looks at blood work, reflexes, as well as vision and hearing.
"The whisper test needs to be five feet," Dr. Brooks said. "They need to be able to hear a whisper within five feet - in at least one ear."
The physical also tests the driver's reflexes, but Dr. Brooks says they're not able to test just how fast a driver can react. Instead they make sure the driver does not have trouble moving their arms and legs.
"Range of motion of all their extremities and their strength," he said.
Investigators say 76-year-old Donald Creed was not drinking or on the phone when he slammed his semi into stopped cars on I-44 on Friday. Ten people were killed.
Many have wondered whether a 76-year-old should even be allowed to drive a semi.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says there is no federal age limit for a CDL, and Dr. Brooks says it wouldn't be right to set a maximum age.
But, he says, the doctor should pay close attention to an older drivers.
"Look at the whole picture and just be keenly aware of all the ramifications of an aging patient," Dr. Gregory Brooks said.
The National Transportation Safety Board is sending seven investigators to Miami. They'll be looking at everything from the driver's history to how the highway is designed.
They don't expect to have their final report finished for several months.
The open enrollment period for Medicare Part D is a chance to compare plans and change if you find a better one. LIFE Senior Services can help. More>>
A government task force released some startling new guidelines on Monday on when women should start getting regular mammograms. More>>
A one-of-a-kind handwritten Bible, which Tulsans helped to write about a year ago, is on auction now. More>>
Tens of thousands of people go to ride the train at Dry Gulch in Mayes County each year, but if you want tickets this year - act fast! More>>
The state Medical Examiner's Office says a nine-month-old boy's death last week was from multiple organ failure-anoxic injury, complications of near drowning. More>>
Area schools are seeing an increase in the number of students qualifying for a free or reduced lunch and districts are seeing more parents who owe lunch money. More>>
The huge reconstruction job on the Inner Dispersal Loop continues - and there are some changes taking place for drivers. They'll find several closed exits and detours this weekend.
More>>
It's a group no one wants to be a part of but all too many are: the surviving families of a loved one who has been murdered or is missing. There will be a vigil for those families from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday in Tulsa. More>>
