Break Down the Barriers to Obtaining a Driver’s License
A driver’s license is more than a form of identification; it is a critical connection to jobs, education, healthcare, and personal independence. For many, obtaining or keeping a license is an uphill battle as high fees, complicated rules, and limited support create obstacles that are hard to overcome.
To Get Started:
Identify barriers to licensing: Talk with neighbors or clients to understand what prevents them from getting or keeping a license. Common challenges include the cost of classes, unpaid fines, lack of transportation to the DMV, or limited opportunities to practice driving.
Map the licensing process: Research and outline the exact steps required to obtain a license in your state. Share this information with your community to ensure everyone understands the process and can navigate it more easily.
Support driver’s education programs: Build or back initiatives that provide driver’s education, test preparation, transportation to the DMV, and financial assistance for fees. These programs can remove significant obstacles for individuals with low incomes.
Examples of Best Practices / Innovative Programs:
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Drive-to-Work in Virginia helps low-income and formerly incarcerated people restore their licenses through legal services.
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In Ohio, people who had their licenses suspended for unpaid fines shared their experiences and helped pass HB 29, ending debt-based suspensions.
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Augustana Lutheran Church in Tonawanda, NY, hosts RIDE: Refugee Immigrant Driver Education. The program covers fees, lessons, permits, and works with immigrants/refugees to help them through the process.
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The Greenbelt Rotary Club in Maryland runs a program that pays for driving lessons and practice hours for residents who lack a car, a supervising driver, or money for school. It’s a simple model that civic groups anywhere can adopt to help neighbors earn a license.
