So do you need to take a physical to drive? Every day, people receive physicals from the Department of Transportation to obtain the special license they need to legally drive certain types of vehicles. If you are one of these people, you may have some questions about the entire process. You may also be interested in some tips on how to pass the exam. This article will attempt to answer many of these questions and put you in a much better place to receive your coveted license.

The first thing to know is that taking a driver’s physical is much like taking any other physical. We’ve all had them over the years. Whether it’s for admission to a special school or camp, or if we’ve been in the military or just as an annual health check, taking this driver’s physical is much the same. The exam will assess your basic health status in a very general way. It’s painless and quick and always worth the time and money.

Giving advice on passing a test, even a driver’s physical, seems a bit silly at first glance. The fact is that you don’t ask questions or study. The way to pass a physical is to eat right, get some exercise, and keep alcohol and cigarette consumption to a minimum. This isn’t rocket science, it’s basic common sense that we humans sometimes find difficult to practice.

A good tip is to know that there will be a vision portion of the driver’s physical exam. So if you wear glasses, don’t forget to bring them to the doctor’s office. This is very important. Obviously, there is no way to pass a driver’s physical without scoring adequately on the vision portion of the exam.

Other things the doctor administering the driver’s physical exam will review will be a general description of what are called your vital signs. These are your respiratory system, your pulse, your blood pressure, and your temperature. For those old enough to remember the very invasive experience of taking a temperature, fear not! As you may already know, a patient’s temperature hasn’t been taken in this ancient way for many, many years. These days your ear canal is more likely to be penetrated than your… well, remember…

Another thing to remember that can help you pass this driving physical is to remember that the exam will include a urine test. It’s given to check for diabetes, but no matter what’s being tested, it’s important to remember to have some urine to urinate on when the time comes! If you need to use the bathroom before entering the doctor’s office, you may want to think again and save as doing so will only prolong the procedure. You won’t leave the office without giving up something!

You may not be sure if you really need to take this driver’s physical in the first place. The following list clearly indicates the types of vehicles whose drivers will be required to undergo the test.

The following vehicle operator need to take the driver Physical exam:

• Any vehicle used for business purposes that has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating or combined weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds
• Any vehicle used to transport any hazardous material.
• Any vehicle built to carry 16 or more passengers, such as a bus or large van