Column By Mike Bibb
Within the past couple of months, disastrous vehicle accidents involving undocumented commercial truck drivers from India have caused deadly wrecks in Florida and California.
In the Aug.12, 2025, Florida case, the driver possessed a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) issued by the state of California, even though he had previously failed the CDL test in Washington State at least ten times. (See my article “Driving a Truck,” Gila Herald, Sep. 2, 2025.)
Supposedly, the illegal immigrant couldn’t read or write English and could only minimally speak the language.
While driving from California to Florida, he was stopped in New Mexico, issued a speeding citation, and allowed to proceed.
He later caused a crash on the Florida Turnpike in Fort Pierce, killing three motorists, by unlawfully committing a U-turn with his 18-wheeler in the middle of the highway — next to a traffic sign specifically indicating “No U-turns.”
Why? A possible explanation is that the driver must have thought the No U-turn sign really meant “U-turns made here.” His lack of knowledge of highway signs and their meanings may have been the real reason for the accident.
In the Oct. 21, 2025, California collisions, the 21-year-old Indian truck driver was under the influence of an intoxicating substance, which probably contributed to the cause of the wreck, involving multiple cars and trucks, killing another three people and severely injuring several others.
Reportedly, the truck driver failed to apply the brakes and recklessly drove directly into the flow of traffic — a good indication he probably had no idea what he was doing or where he was going.
These two instances are clearly indicative of the need to more closely test, issue, and monitor CDL license holders, especially if they appear to lack English-speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Cellphone language translators are a handy tool for personal use, but a poor substitute for actual knowledge and the ability to recognize and understand street and highway signs.
Especially on a moment’s notice when piloting an 80-foot-long, 80,000-pound tractor-trailer, moving along a crowded 8-lane divided highway, going 75 mph.
If a driver can’t instantly recognize traffic and road signs, there’s a very good chance they will eventually be involved in a motor vehicle accident.
I can’t comprehend how much the odds increase if the driver is nearly illiterate in English.
As a retired tractor-trailer driver, the comparison of an Indian truck driver motoring American highways — or any other nationality not competent with the English language in our country — would be like me attempting to navigate a big-rig down the roads of Bombay.
I might make it, and I might not, depending on how proficient I was in the language of whatever region of the country I was in. According to the World Atlas (2025), India has “122 major languages and 1599 other languages, but no national language.”
Good grief, a person could travel a few hundred miles and encounter several different spoken and written languages.
No wonder Indian truck drivers in the U.S. have difficulty comprehending our universally accepted English. It must be beyond their ability to fathom such a simple concept.
Thanks to Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and their incompetent minions, his asinine “Open Borders” policies have inflicted substantial damage to our nation’s security and highway safety.
With millions of illegal border crossers randomly parading unfettered into our country, there is no telling how many of them have obtained employment in occupations they are not qualified to perform.
Over-the-road commercial truck driving is just one of them.
When traveling on I-10 and other interstates, stay alert, because it’s basically up to you to maintain the lives and safety of your family, friends, and fellow motorists.
Highway Patrol can’t help much — they’re already overwhelmed with the craziness going on!
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author.
