Drug and Alcohol Testing

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that anyone driving a vehicle that requires a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), which includes semi trucks, buses, and other larger transportation vehicles, must pass a substance abuse test and continue to pass the tests throughout their employment. The author stresses that another reason testing is vital for public safety is because, once a driver is impaired, it is often difficult to detect, even by trained police personnel. The paper concludes that the merits of substance abuse testing for those who desire or already own a CDL are clear; they keep substance abusers off our roads and highways and help ensure the safety of the public.

From the Paper:

"Obviously, one of the most important issues facing successful testing is the validity of the results, as this situation with a bus driver who was suspended because his urinalysis showed marijuana in his system clearly indicates. "News of his suspension and the test results spread to the bus driver's family, co-workers, and acquaintances. Two weeks after the first urinalysis, the bus driver was retested. The results were negative and the company reinstated him (Angarola, 1991, p. 171). Clearly, a company must be absolutely sure their results are correct, and they must be scrupulous in maintaining the privacy and anonymity of the employee, or they are open to litigation and personnel consequences. Therefore, while substance testing makes sense and is the law, there are still precautions that must be taken to ensure the results are correct, and the employee's rights are not violated."

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