Drivers Licenses for All Postcards
Postcard Front
Use these downloadable postcards to send to Massachusetts State legislators to support the the Work and Family Mobility Act. In states where driver’s licenses are available to all residents, such as neighboring Connecticut, clear and compelling evidence demonstrates these policies ensure safer roads, boost state revenues, provide more economic opportunities for working people, and help keep immigrant families together. (Center for Popular Democracy Study )
Some sample talking points for the postcards from the National Immigration Law Center Toolkit: https://www.nilc.org/issues/drivers-licenses/dlaccesstoolkit3a/#benefits)
Keeps Families Together this policy will also make undocumented immigrants less vulnerable to detention and deportation stemming from traffic violations.
Police will be able to use licenses to identify motorists during stops and check their traffic records.
First responders and health care providers will be able to use the license toidentify the individuals they are assisting.
Drivers will be more likely to stay at the scene of an accident to aid police and emergency workers and to exchange insurance information with other affected motorists.
Courts and jails would be less burdened by drivers who are there solely for driving without a license or insurance.
Economic Benefits Lack of access to driver’s licenses means that immigrants spend more time trying to get around and less time working and putting dollars back into the local economy. In fact, most are less likely to make purchases in general due to a lack of safe access to transportation.
New Mexico: Since the state began issuing licenses in 2003, the rate of uninsured vehicles decreased almost 24 percentage points, from 33 percent in 2002 to 9.1 percent in 2011.2 What’s even more impressive is thatalcohol-related crashes decreased 32 percent and traffic fatalities fell 23 percent.
Utah: The state began issuing licenses in 1999, and in 2005 began issuing Driving Privilege Cards. Of the 50,000 undocumented immigrant motorists in Utah, approximately 42,000 have Driving Privilege Cards (DPC).4 Thiscaused Utah’s uninsured motorist rate to drop from 28 percent to 8 percent. DPC holders have an insurance coverage rate of 75 percent.
To address the cards use this tool to find your two state legislators:
https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
Printable postcards (pdf)