Federal crash data shows commercial drivers with English language violations are involved in crashes at significantly higher rates. A recent analysis by Fusable’s MC Advantage found that motor carriers with English Language Proficiency (ELP) violations were involved in DOT-recordable crashes at nearly twice the national average. That rate outpaced even those associated with speeding or drug-and-alcohol violations.
MC Advantage reviewed Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) data for fleets with ELP, drug or speeding violations during the year leading up to June 1, 2024. Results showed a stronger correlation between ELP violations and crash involvement across small, medium and large fleets.
Overdrive survey data shows widespread support for stricter enforcement of English language rules among drivers. In a May 2025 poll, 94% of respondents supported President Donald Trump’s ELP mandate. Many cited safety concerns, with one commenter writing that an 80,000-pound truck in the hands of a driver unable to read signs or communicate posed a “national security” risk.
Hellbound and Down 