Florida officials are leading the charge, asking the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to put in place more substantial penalties on states that do not require truck drivers to learn English language proficiency standards.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is listening. He just announced that if states fail to comply with federal policy, they could lose millions from Safety Assistance Programs.
This decision follows a tragic accident on Florida’s Turnpike, where a truck driver, who was in the U.S. illegally, caused the deaths of three people after making an illegal U-turn. Law enforcement reported that the driver failed to answer 10 out of 12 verbal questions on the proficiency test and could only correctly identify one of four traffic signs.
Federal regulations require that commercial truck drivers in Florida must be able to read and speak English well enough to perform their duties safely.
Florida law allows individuals taking the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) knowledge exam to do so in either English or Spanish; however, the skills test must be conducted in English.
After a fatal crash in Florida in August 2025, law enforcement began enforcing the English proficiency rule more strictly, conducting on-the-spot assessments at agricultural checkpoints.
An Increase in State Security Checks.
State law enforcement officers have intensified inspections of truck drivers at various locations, primarily at agriculture inspection stations.
According to state officials speaking to Florida Daily, there has been a rise in the testing of truck drivers to ensure they can speak and understand English.
In light of the recent tragedy in Florida, state lawmakers are expected to propose increased penalties for individuals and companies that do not comply with state and federal laws when they meet later this year in Tallahassee.
“You’re not allowed to issue a CDL to somebody who is not in this country legally. You’re not allowed to issue a CDL to somebody who is not capable of understanding traffic signs. This was an avoidable tragedy,” Governor DeSantis said.
