Congressman’s own truckers have been involved in deadly crashes as he vows to make roads safer

Georgia Lawmaker's Road Safety Pledge Undermined by Family Firm's Crash Record

As the 2026 U.S. Senate campaign season intensifies, Georgia Congressman Mike Collins is positioning himself as the candidate who will finally make America's highways safer. His signature proposal: stripping commercial driver's licenses from noncitizens. Yet fresh investigative reporting from ProPublica, released just days ago on May 16, reveals a stark contradiction at the heart of his own family legacy.

Collins, who spent decades running the family trucking company before entering Congress, has made his business background the centerpiece of his political identity. In campaign stops across Georgia and in recent television ads, he repeatedly invokes the dangers posed by unqualified drivers on U.S. roads. "We need to get serious about who is behind the wheel of these 80,000-pound vehicles," Collins declared at a rally in Atlanta last month. His solution focuses squarely on immigration status rather than broader enforcement or training reforms.

However, records obtained by ProPublica show that drivers associated with Collins' family trucking operations have been involved in multiple deadly crashes over the years. These incidents, some dating back to the company's active period under family control, include collisions that resulted in fatalities and serious injuries. The reporting details at least three separate crashes where company drivers were cited for violations ranging from improper lane changes to fatigue-related factors.

One particularly tragic incident involved a Collins-linked truck that collided with a passenger vehicle on an interstate, killing two people. Court documents and federal motor carrier safety records cited in the ProPublica investigation indicate the driver had prior safety infractions. Despite these red flags, the company continued operations without significant disruption.

Critics argue that Collins' policy focus on noncitizens conveniently sidesteps accountability for domestic operators like his family's firm. Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shows that the majority of commercial vehicle crashes involve U.S. citizen drivers. Targeting immigration status, they say, serves as a political wedge rather than a comprehensive safety strategy.

During his time overseeing the business, Collins often emphasized operational efficiency and on-time deliveries. Former employees interviewed by ProPublica described pressure to meet tight schedules, sometimes at the expense of rest periods. While no direct evidence links Collins personally to specific violations, the pattern raises questions about oversight in an industry where fatigue remains a leading cause of accidents.

Collins' campaign has not directly addressed the ProPublica findings in detail. A spokesperson issued a brief statement noting that the congressman supports "strong enforcement of existing safety regulations for all drivers, regardless of background." The response pivots back to the need for stricter licensing standards, including citizenship requirements.

This latest revelation arrives at a critical juncture. Collins is locked in a competitive Republican primary for the open Senate seat. His opponents have seized on the story, with one rival campaign releasing a web video titled "Safety Starts at Home." The ad juxtaposes Collins' campaign rhetoric with footage of crash scenes and excerpts from safety reports.

Public reaction has been swift. Advocacy groups focused on highway safety are calling for Collins to release full safety records from his family's company. "If we're serious about protecting drivers and families on the road, we need transparency from everyone in the industry—including those running for higher office," said a spokesperson for a national trucking safety coalition.

The story also highlights broader tensions in transportation policy. While immigration enforcement has become a flashpoint in the Senate race, experts note that improving roads safety requires investment in infrastructure, better hours-of-service rules, and advanced vehicle technology. Collins has supported some of these measures in Congress but has placed disproportionate emphasis on his noncitizen CDL ban proposal.

As voters prepare for primaries later this summer, the ProPublica investigation is likely to remain a focal point. It underscores a classic political tension: the gap between campaign promises and personal or business history. For Collins, whose identity is so closely tied to trucking, the scrutiny cuts particularly deep.

Whether the revelations will shift voter sentiment remains to be seen. Early polling shows the race is tight, with safety and border issues ranking high among Georgia Republicans. Collins continues to campaign aggressively on his plan to "clean up our roads," but the questions about his own company's record may prove difficult to outrun.

Investigators continue to pore over additional motor carrier records. More details could emerge in the coming weeks, further testing Collins' ability to separate his legislative agenda from his family's business past.

Source: ProPublica via YouTube — 2026-05-16T13:21:16+00:00.