National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) DOT Practice Exam

A female driver presents for re-certification who is on her fourth day of menses with heavy bleeding. What should the examiner do?

1. Obtain medical clearance prior to certification

2. Disqualify the driver

3. Certify the driver for 1 year

4. Certify the driver for 2 years

The correct answer is: Certify the driver for 2 years

In the context of this scenario involving a female driver on her fourth day of menstruation with heavy bleeding, the appropriate action is to certify the driver for two years. This decision is based on the understanding that menstruation is a normal physiological condition, and while heavy bleeding may present discomfort, it does not inherently impair a woman’s ability to operate a vehicle safely or meet the medical standards required for commercial driving. When considering certification duration, a two-year certification is often given to drivers who demonstrate stable health conditions and who do not exhibit issues that would affect their driving capabilities. In this case, unless the menstrual condition is severe enough to pose an immediate and significant risk to the driver’s safety or the safety of others, it is reasonable to grant certification for a full term. Obtaining medical clearance prior to certification may not be necessary for a typical menstrual cycle. Disqualifying the driver solely based on menstrual bleeding would not be justified, as the condition does not, by itself, indicate a diminished capacity to drive. Certifying for one year is less common in straightforward cases where no other complicating medical issues are present. Thus, the two-year certification is deemed an appropriate and sensible approach.