The Trump administration is hitting the brakes hard on states ignoring federal safety rules for truck drivers. The Department of Transportation, under Secretary Sean Duffy, has issued a stern warning to California, New Mexico, and Washington: enforce English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers, or kiss millions in federal funding goodbye. It’s a bold move that’s got progressive policymakers squirming, and for good reason.
According to Washington Examiner, the crux of this story is a 30-day ultimatum from Duffy, announced on Tuesday, threatening to withhold up to 100% of funding from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program if these states don’t comply with language rules.
Let’s rewind to earlier this year, when Secretary Duffy rolled out new guidance in May to ensure truck drivers can read and understand road signs—a common-sense measure to keep highways safe. Too often, we’ve seen tragic consequences when basic communication fails. It’s not about exclusion; it’s about ensuring everyone behind the wheel of a 40-ton rig can follow the rules of the road.
Fast forward to this month, when a devastating crash in St. Lucie County, Florida, brought the issue into sharp focus. An 18-wheeler driver, Harjinder Singh, identified as an undocumented immigrant by Florida police, ignored a no-U-turn sign and caused a collision on Aug. 12 that claimed three lives. If that doesn’t underscore the need for clear communication on our roads, what does?
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles confirmed Singh as the operator, pointing to a glaring failure to adhere to basic signage. It’s heartbreaking to think that a preventable tragedy like this could be tied to something as fundamental as understanding a road sign. Yet, some states seem content to look the other way.
Enter California, New Mexico, and Washington, which have been flagged by the Federal Motor Safety Administration for “significant failures” in marking drivers out of service for language proficiency violations. The Department of Transportation isn’t mincing words: these states are dropping the ball on safety. And now, they’re facing the consequences.
California Highway Patrol has even gone on record saying they won’t follow the federal regulation on English proficiency for truckers. That’s not just a slap in the face to federal authority—it’s a gamble with public safety. When did ignoring the law become a badge of honor for state officials?
“States don’t get to pick and choose which federal safety rules to follow,” Duffy declared. And he’s right—federal guidelines aren’t a buffet line for progressive agendas to cherry-pick. When states flout these rules, they’re not just defying Washington; they’re risking lives on the highway.
“As we saw with the horrific Florida crash that killed three, when states fail to enforce the law, they put the driving public in danger,” Duffy added. Let that sink in: three families are grieving because a driver couldn’t—or wouldn’t—follow a simple sign. How many more tragedies will it take before states wake up to the stakes?
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are taking aggressive action to close these safety gaps, hold states accountable, and make sure every commercial driver on the road is qualified to operate a 40-ton vehicle,” Duffy emphasized. That’s the kind of no-nonsense approach many Americans have been craving. Safety isn’t a partisan issue; it’s a moral one.
Yet, the resistance from California, New Mexico, and Washington raises a question: why are some leaders so eager to dodge accountability? It’s almost as if sticking it to federal oversight matters more than protecting their own citizens. That’s a tough pill to swallow for anyone who values common-sense governance.
The Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program funding at stake isn’t chump change—it’s a lifeline for state highway safety initiatives. Losing up to 100% of it could cripple these states’ ability to maintain safe roads. Will that be the wake-up call they need, or will ideology trump practicality once again?
With just 30 days to comply, the clock is ticking for these states to get their act together. The Trump administration isn’t playing games, and nor should they—highway safety isn’t a negotiation. If states can’t enforce basic standards, they shouldn’t expect federal dollars to bail them out.
At the end of the day, this isn’t about politics; it’s about protecting every driver, passenger, and pedestrian on America’s roads. The Florida crash is a grim reminder of what’s at stake when rules are ignored. Let’s hope these states take Duffy’s warning seriously before more lives are lost to preventable failures.
