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Last month, we reported on the tragic case of an immigrant truck driver in Florida who killed three people after making an illegal U-turn across a highway. In the aftermath of that crash, federal officials revealed the driver could not pass even basic English language or road sign tests, yet somehow, he had been granted commercial driver’s licenses in two different states.
That kind of failure should never happen. And thanks to new directives from Governor Greg Abbott, Texas is making sure it doesn’t.
This week, Governor Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to strictly enforce the English proficiency requirements for all commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders operating in Texas. Federal law has long required that commercial drivers be able to speak and understand English well enough to follow road signs, communicate with law enforcement, and comply with safety rules. But lax enforcement in other states has allowed unqualified drivers onto American roads — sometimes with deadly consequences.
Governor Abbott’s new directive includes zero-tolerance enforcement of federal English proficiency standards for all CDL operators in Texas. DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Troopers must also conduct language reviews during inspections. Also, the in-state issuance of CDLs to drivers who cannot adequately communicate in English will be halted.
Since President Trump’s June 25 executive order requiring full enforcement nationwide, Texas authorities have already taken action against 445 commercial drivers for English violations. Of those, 28 held Texas licenses, 336 held licenses from Mexico, and the remainder hailed from other states and countries.
Truckers are vital to Texas’ economy, but so is safety on our highways. Ensuring that every driver can read signs, follow instructions, and communicate with police isn’t just common sense — it’s a matter of life and death. Texans should never face the kind of tragedy that took place on that Florida highway.
With this step, Texas is again showing leadership where Washington has failed: putting the safety of citizens first and refusing to look the other way when the rules are ignored.