Access to Driving and License Suspension Policies for the Twenty-First Century Economy

Publication Date:

Publisher: Center for Economic and Policy Research

Author(s): Sandra Gustitus; Melody Simmons; Margy Waller

Research Area: Transportation

Keywords: Driver's license; Work commute; Urban roads

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

Changes in the location of work and residence in the last century have dramatically altered the landscape of our nation and changed the transportation needs of communities and workers. As a result, most communities now depend on private vehicle access to ensure that workers can fill and retain jobs by effectively managing the distance and travel time between work and home and access to goods and services not well served by public transit. In recent decades, policymakers have created new barriers to economic strength and employment by adopting legislation that makes license holding, and therefore access to legal driving, more tenuous—particularly for low-wage employees. In this report, we highlight promising initiatives and provide recommendations for policymakers to reduce the impact of economic license suspensions that are unrelated to driving competency and public safety.