Drew Dixon
In the wake of a serious accident in Florida that left three people dead, U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody is proposing the “Safer Truckers Act” to require proof of U.S. residency before a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is issued.
Her measure would also require drivers to be proficient in English before a CDL is approved so they can read road traffic signs and warning messages. States that don’t follow the proposed guidelines “would result in the loss of federal funding,” a Moody news release said.
The proposed legislation comes after prosecutors charged Harjinder Singh with vehicular homicide. Investigators say Singh made a U-turn on the Florida Turnpike while driving a commercial truck and collided with a minivan near Fort Pierce. All three occupants in the van were killed.
According to an investigation, Singh, a native of India, was not a legal U.S. resident and illegally entered America through Mexico before obtaining his CDL in California.
Moody said her proposed legislation is designed to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
“If you’re a commercial truck driver in America, being able to competently read the road signs in English isn’t optional, it’s the job,” Moody said in a news release.
“That’s why I’m introducing the Safer Truckers Act to prevent what we saw just happen in my home state where an illegal alien, who failed his English Language Proficiency test, made a dangerous U-Turn in the middle of an interstate and killed three people. States must ensure that folks are safe on our roadways and if they don’t, they should forfeit federal funds.”
Moody’s proposed measure is already getting the backing of professional commercial truckers. Alix Miller, President and CEO of the Florida Trucking Association, said the basic standards in the suggested measure is a threshold that should apply to anyone seeking a CDL.
“On behalf of the Florida Trucking Association, I applaud the introduction of The Safer Truckers Act of 2025 by Florida’s own Senator, Ashley Moody. The number one priority for the trucking industry is safety,” Miller said.
“Sen. Moody’s proposal will close loopholes that have allowed unauthorized and unqualified drivers to operate heavy commercial vehicles and reinforce the integrity of our licensing system improving security on America’s highways.”
The proposed bill would require all CDLs be awarded only to U.S. citizens or someone who holds a valid work visa. It also requires all states to report to federal regulators efforts to stipulate the English proficiency requirements.
Attorney General James Uthmeier is also asking the federal government to reconsider issuing (CDLs) following the deadly accident.
Uthmeier sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration asking the agencies to weigh revoking CDL programs and stripping federal funding from California and Washington due to the Florida crash on Aug. 12.
