The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has spotlighted two tragic crashes as proof that drivers who can't read English are a threat on American roads.
The big picture: A change is happening after President Trump annulled a policy in 2016 that had relaxed English proficiency enforcement for truckers. This move aims to improve road safety.
- In 2019, a semi-truck driver hit 100 mph on a crowded highway in Colorado, causing a deadly crash by missing warning signs. The driver didn't understand English and bypassed a runaway truck ramp.
- Earlier this year in West Virginia, another trucker, unable to read road signs, contributed to a fatal accident during harsh winter weather, tossing a car into a lake.
What they're saying: "This Department will always put America’s truck drivers first," USDOT's Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized. Understanding signs and communicating in English is essential for safety, he noted.
Critics argue the focus on language skills might miss other critical safety issues, but USDOT continues to cite these events in their push for stricter rules. Aguilera-Mederos, a truck driver from the 2019 Colorado crash, was originally sentenced to 110 years but later got his sentence reduced due to public outcry, according to KDVR.
Between the lines: These accidents reveal a gray area between enforcing rules and supporting diverse driver backgrounds. While no injuries were reported in the follow-up investigation of the West Virginia incident, it remains a talking point in ongoing discussions about driver qualifications and public safety.