Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that California, Washington, and New Mexico might face a loss of millions in federal funding if they do not enforce English language proficiency standards for commercial truck drivers.

This announcement came on Tuesday following a fatal crash in Florida, where a truck driver allegedly performed an illegal U-turn, resulting in three deaths. An investigation into the crash revealed what Duffy described as substantial shortcomings in how the three states enforced driver regulations that became effective in June.

Federal guidelines mandate that truck drivers pass roadside English tests and prove their ability to read and speak English, though implementation is up to individual states.

“States can’t selectively comply with federal safety rules,” Duffy stated. “The devastating Florida crash that resulted in three deaths illustrates that when states neglect to enforce the law, they endanger the driving public.”

States have 30 days to comply with DOT rules: Sean Duffy

Duffy noted that California has conducted about 34,000 inspections identifying at least one violation since the language standards requiring truck drivers to understand and read road signs and communicate in English were implemented. Nevertheless, only one inspection noted an English language rule violation, leading to a driver being removed from service.

Additionally, 23 drivers with violations in other states were permitted to continue driving after undergoing inspections in California, Duffy said.

Duffy mentioned similar figures in other states, noting that Washington discovered over 6,000 violations of safety rules during inspections and removed four drivers from service due to English language violations. According to Duffy, New Mexico has not removed any drivers from service since the rules became effective.

Duffy warned the states would lose money from the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program if they didn’t comply with the rules within 30 days, but he did not specify how much. State officials did not immediately respond Tuesday morning.

“This is about keeping people safe on the road,” Duffy said. “We all use the roadway, and we need to make sure that those who are driving big rigs, semis, can understand the road signs, that they’ve been well trained, and that when they’re stopped by law enforcement or there’s a crash, they can effectively communicate on their rig.”

English critical for safe driving: Truck association president

Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, told “Morning in America” he believes there are many drivers who may not meet English proficiency standards.

Pugh said the association has been pushing to reinstate English requirements as an “out-of-service” violation, but despite years of truckers raising concerns, he said the problem has only grown worse.

Todd Spencer, the group’s president, said the association “strongly supports” Duffy’s requirements.

“Basic English skills are critical for safely operating a commercial motor vehicle reading road signs, following emergency instructions, and communicating with law enforcement are not optional,” Spencer said in a statement to . “The fatal crash in Florida this month tragically illustrates what’s at stake.”

Truck driver charged in deadly Florida crash

Before the deadly crash in Florida, authorities said 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, a native of India, answered two out of 12 questions correctly on an English test and later failed additional language and road sign exams.

Singh reportedly obtained licenses in Washington and California, and was pulled over a month before the crash in New Mexico, where police did not administer a required roadside English test.

“He failed full stop, failed. Couldn’t speak the language, couldn’t see, couldn’t understand road signs,” Duffy said. “The bottom line is, follow the rules of DOT in your state, or there will be serious consequences.”

Singh, who is also accused of being in the U.S. illegally, has been charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations.

The crash sparked a clash between the Department of Homeland Security and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom over Singh obtaining a work permit and driver’s license in California.

California is one of 19 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, that issue licenses regardless of immigration status, a policy that supporters say allows people to work, visit doctors and travel safely.

Newsom’s press office said Singh obtained a work permit during President Donald Trump’s first term, a claim disputed by Homeland Security officials.

Florida authorities have said Singh entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.