BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Seven-year-old Dalilah Coleman’s story is resonating across the country and now her family is turning tragedy into advocacy, urging lawmakers to pass legislation in her name nationwide.
Marcus Coleman, Dalilah’s father, says his fight is about protecting other children from suffering a similar fate.
“I’m fighting for the future Dalilahs out there,” Coleman said. “If this continues, there’s going to be another Dalilah and their voice might not be heard.”
The issue took center stage during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, when Dalilah was recognized before a national audience.
“Dalilah, please you are a great inspiration. Please stand up,” Trump said during the address.
The president also announced a proposed federal bill named “Dalilah’s Law,” which would bar states from issuing commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.
“Tonight, I’m calling on Congress to pass what we will call the Dalilah Law, barring any state from granting commercial driver’s licenses to any illegal alien,” Trump said.
The Crash That Changed Everything
At just five years old, Dalilah suffered severe brain injuries in a six-vehicle crash along Highway 395 in San Bernardino County. Authorities said the crash involved 20-year-old Partaph Singh, described as an undocumented immigrant from India who was later deported by Homeland Security.
Since the 2024 crash, Coleman himself a truck driver has become an outspoken advocate for stricter trucking regulations. He argues that some companies and freight brokers cut costs by hiring unqualified or underpaid drivers.
“Brokers don’t want to pay the correct wages,” Coleman said. “The trucking company has no choice but to hire people willing to do it for cheap and cheap labor is not good labor.”
What Dalilah’s Law Would Do
According to Coleman, the proposed three-part legislation would increase accountability for trucking companies and brokers while targeting unqualified, undocumented, underage, or unlicensed drivers operating commercial vehicles. The proposal would also apply to delivery trucks and ride-share services.
Under the plan:
- A first violation would result in a warning.
- A second violation would carry a $50,000 fine and a six-month suspension.
- A fourth violation would result in the loss of a broker’s license.
For the Coleman family, the effort is about ensuring stronger oversight and preventing future tragedies.
“No parent should be going through what we are going through,” Coleman said. “This is the job of a politician.”
A Growing Push for Change
Dalilah’s Law is already in effect in Indiana, and the family hopes to see it adopted in all 50 states. They are also advocating for it to be enacted in California, where the crash occurred.
For Marcus Coleman, the mission is deeply personal but the goal is broader than his own family’s pain.
He says this fight is about accountability, reform, and making sure no other child becomes the next headline.
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