FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) \u2014 A deadly crash on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce is now at the center of a new push in Tallahassee to tighten rules around undocumented commercial truck drivers.<\/p>\n
The proposal \u2014 Senate Bill 86, formally titled Commercial Motor Vehicles Operated by Unauthorized Aliens \u2014 spells out what Florida law enforcement would have to do if they stop a commercial truck driver who is in the U.S. illegally.<\/p>\n
The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Don Gaetz (R\u2013Crestview).<\/p>\n
The bill would require officers to detain commercial drivers who are found to be in the U.S. illegally and transfer them to federal immigration authorities.<\/p>\n
The truck would be impounded, the owner would face a $50,000 fine, and the motor carrier tied to that vehicle would be blocked from operating in Florida until the fine is paid and requirements are met.<\/p>\n
Supporters say the change is partly in response to the crash involving truck driver Harjinder Singh<\/a>, who investigators say made an illegal U-turn through an \u201cofficial use only\u201d access point on the Turnpike near Fort Pierce. Three people were killed.<\/p>\n Singh was questioned at the scene but not immediately arrested. He later left Florida before being tracked down and returned to the state to face charges \u2014 a sequence lawmakers say exposed a gap in current law.<\/p>\n Truckers say enforcement has already been tightening<\/p>\n Drivers who spend their days on Florida highways say they\u2019ve already noticed shifts in enforcement.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve noticed within the last several months that the restrictions that they\u2019ve implemented have affected the overall commercial side of transportation,\u201d said Damian Smith, who runs a Georgia-based trucking company that frequently travels through Florida. \u201cThere\u2019s less trucks on the road right now because of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith also raised concerns about drivers who struggle to read signs or communicate in English, saying that can create confusion on the road.<\/p>\n Federal English-language rules back in focus<\/p>\n Earlier this month, CBS12 News reported that more than 9,500 commercial truck drivers <\/a>nationwide have been taken out of service during roadside inspections after failing federal English-language proficiency requirements that have been written into federal regulations for years.<\/p>\n Transportation officials say the rule is intended to help ensure drivers can understand roadway signs and communicate during inspections and emergencies.<\/p>\n