Trucking Fatalities Have Increased Since Feds Stopped Suspending Truckers Who Can’t Read English

March 03, 2025, 12:29 PM

“If just one life is saved.” An oft repeated mantra that is often applied with respect to other topics, like the Second Amendment. Maybe it should be applied to the federal rule that says commercial truckers should be proficient in English.

quote:
Fatalities involving large commercial trucks have been on the rise since 2016. That was the year the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a memorandum telling safety inspectors not to suspend commercial drivers for failing to communicate well in English.

Traffic crashes involving large commercial trucks have been on the rise since 2016, and some in the industry are pointing to a simultaneous rise in non-English-speaking truckers.

To Shannon Everett, co-founder of trucker advocacy group American Truckers United, said 2016 was a pivotal year for deadly truck crash statistics.

That was the year the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a memorandum telling safety inspectors not to suspend commercial drivers for failing to communicate well in English.

The guidance is despite a federal rule that still says a person shall not drive a commercial vehicle unless he can converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals in English, respond to official inquiries and enter his own reports.

Pictures and more to the article at the link.

Link

March 03, 2025, 12:57 PM

redstone

He killed people, was sentenced to 110 years and then it was reduced.

I still have mixed emotions about the whole thing.

Link to Colorado Crash

March 03, 2025, 02:37 PM

konata88

It’s there data that associates linguistic incompetency to the primary cause of accidents? Is commercial driving different from non-commercial?

I get an international driver’s license when traveling. Despite an absence of fluency, I believe I can still drive safely. I may get lost more, but I’m safe.

Is there a higher need for linguistic proficiency for commercial drivers? How much of the accidents is really just general driving competency?

March 03, 2025, 03:01 PM

Aglifter

The standards for diving has collapsed - almost no company can drug test drivers, anymore, and weed does cause long term impairment.

And, just weird truck drivers are tolerated now.

We have drivers say a 23’ gate is too narrow to back though, a 1.4 acre yard is too small to turn around in, get off the truck wearing Mimi’s and flip flops etc, etc, etc.

March 03, 2025, 03:04 PM

BadDogPSD

There is a driver shortage and companies have lowered standards. And yes, when you rely on your phone to translate while driving, bad things are likely to happen.
Over-the-road driving is a tough way to make a living!

March 03, 2025, 03:19 PM

redstone

quote:
Originally posted by konata88:
It’s there data that associates linguistic incompetency to the primary cause of accidents? Is commercial driving different from non-commercial?

I get an international driver’s license when traveling. Despite an absence of fluency, I believe I can still drive safely. I may get lost more, but I’m safe.

Is there a higher need for linguistic proficiency for commercial drivers? How much of the accidents is really just general driving competency?

My reading is that it really is not about fluency, its about not being competent. Companies are strapped, hire unvetted, unlicensed drivers and those are mostly illegal immigrants. But that is just my take.

March 03, 2025, 03:29 PM

TigerDore

Apparently texting and watching porn(and all that entails) while driving is on the rise too. Even with monitoring cameras in the cab, this is apparently going on.

Not too long ago an attorney friend won a huge settlement for the family of a man killed by commercial driver with one hand on the wheel and the other on his stick. The video proof came from the monitoring camera installed by the trucking company.

I don't know if he is fluent in english or not, or if he is a natural-born US citizen, but he is definitely sick human being.

.

March 03, 2025, 03:36 PM

TMats

quote:
Originally posted by konata88:
It’s there data that associates linguistic incompetency to the primary cause of accidents? Is commercial driving different from non-commercial?

I get an international driver’s license when traveling. Despite an absence of fluency, I believe I can still drive safely. I may get lost more, but I’m safe.

Is there a higher need for linguistic proficiency for commercial drivers? How much of the accidents is really just general driving competency?

I think it’s safe to say that the connection between an increase in trucking fatalities and non-English speaking drivers is anecdotal. I have to ask though, did you follow the link, read the article, and maybe even watch the short video at the link?

March 03, 2025, 03:55 PM

HRK

Just this weekend a Tractor Trailer hit a Sprinter van and killed R&B singer Angie Stone on her way back from playing in Alabama.

https://x.com/NiterIsrea90453/.../1896002529244438781

March 03, 2025, 04:02 PM

TigerDore

quote:
Originally posted by HRK:
Just this weekend a Tractor Trailer hit a Sprinter van and killed R&B singer Angie Stone on her way back from playing in Alabama.

That one is a little more complicated. Her van overturned first in a single vehicle crash at about 4:25am on Saturday morning. The 18 wheeler struck her van after it had wrecked.

.

March 03, 2025, 04:11 PM

YooperSigs

in 2022, an out of control semi drove into a gas station lot in L'anse, killed a dude who was pumping gas and caused the station to catch fire.
Looked like a war zone after the crash. Driver was drunk.

March 03, 2025, 04:34 PM

Lefty Sig

quote:
Originally posted by redstone:
He killed people, was sentenced to 110 years and then it was reduced.

I still have mixed emotions about the whole thing.

Link to Colorado Crash

No "mixed emotions" here. He was incompetent having no significant experience driving on steep grades. He brakes didn't "go out". He didn't properly use the compression brake on the engine ("jake brake") to keep his speed down, burned up his air brakes instead, and got into runaway with revs too high to use the compression brake.

For those that don't know, diesels to not have air throttles and backing off on the fuel throttle pedal does not result in engine braking like on a gas engine. It essentially doesn't do anything, anything so you have to use the jake brake to control speed on downward grades.

He also failed to use a runway ramp.

PURE GROSS NEGLIGENCE.

Idiot politicians that don't know how shit works believed the mechanical brake failure bullshit.

March 03, 2025, 05:20 PM

BigSwede

I ship several vehicles a month all over the lower 48, 75% of the drivers speak zero English. Mostly Russian sounding dudes

March 03, 2025, 05:58 PM

jed7s9b

quote:
Originally posted by konata88:
It’s there data that associates linguistic incompetency to the primary cause of accidents? Is commercial driving different from non-commercial?

I get an international driver’s license when traveling. Despite an absence of fluency, I believe I can still drive safely. I may get lost more, but I’m safe.

Is there a higher need for linguistic proficiency for commercial drivers? How much of the accidents is really just general driving competency?

A driver needs to be able to quickly read and understand signage and warnings, manifests, operators manuals, drivers logbooks, inspection reports, and DOT regulations. He also needs to be able communicate with inspection officers, depot and maintinance personnel.
This is all very important for a persons hauling 60,000 lbs of hazardous materials down a mountain pass or 70 mph through in-town expressway.

March 03, 2025, 06:32 PM

patw

quote:
Originally posted by redstone:
He killed people, was sentenced to 110 years and then it was reduced.

I still have mixed emotions about the whole thing.

Link to Colorado Crash

That decision to commute was insane. How many things did he do wrong? Especially the 85 mph hour part. Our system is failing us constantly and allowing bad things to happen to the innocent under the guise of justice/social justice. When all is said and done he can possibly get out after 6-7 years served. I agree with the "Jake brake" and there is a reason it is there on a big truck. What a travesty all the way around.

March 03, 2025, 07:21 PM

MelissaDallas

It is blatantly obvious that they can’t read English language signs if you live in an area with a large illegal population. Just get behind one on a city street with school zone signage. They slow to 20 outside the given time frame on the signs because the “20” part is all they can comprehend.

March 03, 2025, 07:23 PM

ZSMICHAEL

An even bigger problem is truckers using drugs. Prescription drugs and even heroin have shown up in screens. The testing programs were cut way back during Covid so the goods could arrive on time.

March 04, 2025, 07:58 AM

Leemur

I don’t know what the problem is but the truckers on the stretch of I-81 I drive several days a week are horrible drivers. They swerve all over the road, straddle the lines, switch lanes without signaling, etc. There are sections of the highway I won’t try to pass on because I’d get run off a huge drop or jammed into a concrete barrier.