Commercial Drivers need to be aware of drug and alcohol testing requirements post accident

A blanket of sparkling white snow can be beautiful to look at, but it is often less enjoyable to drive through. With snowy and icy road conditions now that winter is upon us, commercial driver accidents can increase, which means understanding post accident requirements becomes even more important for commercial drivers traveling in the United States.

Important note: This post accident testing applies only to commercial drivers going to the United States and only applies while you are in the United States.

Accident Conditions that require testing for Commercial Drivers

We wanted to take this opportunity to give a rundown of what conditions an accident must meet to require alcohol and drug testing for commercial drivers.

If the accident caused a human fatality, then a test must be performed whether or not a citation is issued to the driver.

If the accident causes bodily injury with immediate medical attention away from the scene, then a drug and alcohol test need only be administered if the driver receives a citation.

If the accident causes disabling damage to any motor vehicle needing to be towed away then, again, a drug and alcohol test need only be administered if the driver receives a citation.

Conditions for Drug and Alcohol testing

Should the conditions of the accident deem a drug and alcohol test necessary there are some guidelines surrounding the testing process that fall under post accident requirements for U.S.-bound commercial drivers.

Drug testing:  This can be done up to 32 hours after the accident has happened. If the test is not done in the allowable 32 hours a reason must be recorded.

Alcohol testing:  While the employer should endeavor to conduct the alcohol test within two hours of the accident, there is a total of 8 hours post accident that the test can be conducted. If the test cannot be conducted in the first two hours a reason must be recorded, and if no test is conducted in the total allowable eight hours, then the reason for this must also be recorded.

It is important to note that this testing can not be considered more important than any medical attention the driver might need post accident and collection personnel cannot visit you in the hospital to conduct the drug and alcohol tests.

Important note: Medical attention supersedes drug and alcohol testing.

Any results of a drug and alcohol test that are sent to the employer will be recorded as a knowledge violation and will also be recorded with Clearinghouse.

If your company has chosen to use NDOT or Non-DOT testing this only satisfies your employers drug and alcohol policy. A Non-DOT test, however, does not satisfy DOT requirements for drug testing commercial drivers.

What is Non-DOT or NDOT testing?

It’s a drug test employers use when employees are not regulated by the DOT and can be conducted at the employer’s discretion. The employer may choose to use this because of the flexibility of types of tests (urine, hair, saliva) and the types of substances to test for. While not federally regulated, Non-DOT testing must stay within state and local laws. An employer may choose to use Non-DOT testing to keep a safe workplace.

Want to learn more about the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse rules? You can brush up on the rules on our blog.