Indian truck driver Harjinder Singh, who is charged with a fatal crash on the Florida Turnpike that left three dead, allegedly flunked his Commercial Driver's License (CDL) test 10 times in two months.
According to Fox News, Singh battled the CDL knowledge test in Washington state from March 10 to May 5, 2023. The report further stated that the Florida AG's office investigators also uncovered that he twice flunked the air brakes knowledge test.
Harjinder Singh, who is from Punjab, reportedly took an unauthorised U-turn in his 18-wheeler, which caused the truck to hit the sides of a semi-truck and kill three. Hindustan Times reported that, even though he had failed repeatedly and struggled to communicate fluently in English, the Washington-based firm that trained him testified that he was proficient in English and awarded him a CDL and later went on to get another license in California.
Language struggles on record
Fox News further reported that Bodycam video released in August caught Singh having a hard time speaking English when stopped for speeding in New Mexico. He was said to be going 60 mph in a 45-mph zone.
According to Hindustan Times, earlier, Singh also reportedly failed his English and road sign tests and pleaded not guilty in court.
Safety concerns in question
The incident has fueled controversy regarding language skill requirements for truck drivers in the US. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, on October 15, highlighted the fact that numerous big rig drivers do not meet English language proficiency standards, a safety issue his agency is taking action to address. He further cautioned that they risk losing federal funding if they fail to implement former President Trump's requirements regarding the English language. Duffy singled out California, saying, “California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement.”
