According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), part 382.207 cites “No driver shall perform safety-sensitive functions within four hours after using alcohol” and in 382.201 cites as “No driver shall report for duty or remain on duty requiring the performance of safety-sensitive functions while having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater”
It is never safe to drive and operate any vehicle while your ability is impaired. Alcohol causes impairment at lower blood alcohol levels than is the determination being legally intoxicated. After alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream it leaves the body in two ways. A total of about ten percent leaves through the breath, perspiration, and urine. The remainder is broken down through the process known as metabolism. The rate at which alcohol is metabolized is the same for virtually everyone regardless of their height, weight, sex, race or other such characteristics. Alcohol is metabolized at the rate of .015 of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) every hour. Thus, a person with a very high BAC of .15 will have no measurable alcohol in the bloodstream after ten hours (.15 divided by .015 = 10).
1 serving of alcohol = 12 oz of beer (5% alcohol) or 5 oz wine (12% alcohol) or 1 oz. 80 proof liquor (40% alcohol.)
All drivers are affected by drinking alcohol. It causes serious driving errors such as:
• increased reaction time to hazards
• driving too fast or too slowly
• driving in the wrong lane
• running over curbs
• weaving
• straddling lanes
• quick and jerky starts
• failure to use lights and signals
• running stop signs and red lights
• improper passing
Many behaviors for alcohol and drug influence are the same, being unable to maintain balance, difficulty in being able to stand up without support, slurred speech and confused speech, sleepiness or stupor. Testing for alcohol usage should be done at the first sign of suspicion, since alcohol leaves the body system sooner than other drugs.
Alcohol is not the only drug that can impair your ability to drive. Almost any drug can have a harmful effect on your driving skills. There are many different kinds of drugs. Some can be bought only by prescription. Others can be bought over the over counter or illegally. Most drugs are classified according to the effects they have on the central nervous system (CNS). A depressant is a drug that can slow down, or depress the CNS. Reflex actions are slowed and coordination becomes clumsy. A stimulant is a drug that speeds up the CNS. However, this effect does not last long, and the person can become nervous and irritable. Marijuana is a powerful mind-altering drug that enters the bloodstream quickly and also affects the CNS. A marijuana user can become easily distracted. Its’ impairment could last a long time. A hallucinogen alters a person’s thinking, awareness, perception, vision and other sense. Users become confused and unable to concentrate or think clearly.
These controlled substances could be tested for in urinalysis:
• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Opiates
• Amphetamines
• Phencyclidine (PCP)
Usage of drugs can lead to traffic accidents resulting in death, injury, and property damage. In addition, it can cause arrest, and incarceration. Ultimately, it could end your driving career
D. Bloodborne pathogens
Many times, tow truck operators will come into contact with blood. HIV and hepatitis, especially type B and C, are transmitted by blood. The first principle of good hygiene is to avoid an exposure by forming a barrier over the skin with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, coveralls, and boots. It is important to check the PPE often for excessive contamination, wear, tear, cuts, or pinholes. Workers should clean, decontaminate or replace protective equipment frequently to make sure it doesn't collect or absorb irritants. If protective equipment becomes too soiled during the job, the worker should stop and replace it with clean equipment. Basic hand washing and skin care can prevent work exposures and diseases.
A person with the potential to be exposed to blood born pathogens needs to have a working knowledge about the general mode of transmission, symptoms, and disease processes. In case of contamination, tow truck drivers need to check in with their care provider as soon as possible in order to lessen the disease process, and prevent exposure to others around you.
E. Road safety due to weather extremes:
There many roadways safety issues that are impacted by extreme weather conditions and these will also affect driver safety. The following includes some of these issues; however, towers should always be aware of changing or new conditions. Extreme weather conditions range from severe cold to extreme heat and from flooding rains to freezing rains. Driving skills also entail how a driver adjusts to road conditions which lessen tire adhesion when braking or steering. Rain, snow, and ice will cause the loss of adhesion and traction, slowing down or increasing both time and distance. If a driver hits a puddle of water or a stretch of ice, the truck will hydroplane or skid.
One of the most dangerous conditions on which to drive is an icy road. It is important for drivers to be aware of any and what kind of ice is on the road. When water freezes on a roadway or an area to be traversed, the ice will be slicker than that formed by packed or refrozen snow. Ice storms can create very hazardous driving conditions. If a driver is working in an emergency situation with other rescuer on ice, it is wise to be aware of the different properties that ice will have in a variety of terrains. If one is over rivers, outlets, springs, or other fluctuating water sources, the ice may be weaker due to the rising and lowering levels of water.
If you are trying to help someone out of the icy water, be sure not to become a victim yourself. Always take note of the condition of the ice, and use something to reach the person in peril. If you have to go on the ice, tie yourself to something secure and lay flat on the ice to distribute your weight.
One of the issues, which are one of the most important ones, is the impact that freezing water and temperatures can have on the body. When your body core temperature drops, hypothermia occurs. It one gets wet then the body will have a harder time warming itself, the wind can accelerate this process. Hypothermia may lead to death. Another result from cold conditions may be frostbite. There are three degrees of frostbite, and one may lose limbs to this condition. Be sure do dress yourself accordingly.