WASHINGTON-- A new government report shows that thousands of truck drivers are medically unfit to be on the road.

Seven years ago a bus accident in New Orleans killed 22 people because the driver lied about his health. At that time, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended 8 steps to crack down on unfit drivers.

Today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration had to answer to a House Transportation Committee as to why none of the NTSB recommendations have been implemented.

The study found that 500,000 truck and bus drivers -- or 4 percent of those with licenses -- are considered fully disabled by the federal government and receive disability benefits. Statistics show that seizures, heart attacks and other ailments have been factors in thousands of serious truck accidents.

The study's authors concluded that it's so easy for truckers to fake a medical certificate that there's almost no incentive to get a real one.

No database or central repository exists allowing state inspectors to verify the legitimacy of a medical certificate.

Congressman Steve LaTourette (R) Lake County helped commission the study and told Channel 3 News truck safety officials promised to make changes within 90 days. Those changes include launching a data base that will screen for drivers who are receiving disability pay.

Ohio ranks in the top 12 for the most violators, in part because of the large number of highways in the state.

The trucking industry says it favors stronger measures to weed out unfit drivers but reminds the public that aggressive, speeding drivers are just an dangerous on the nation's roadways and highways.