Benefits of Allowing All Immigrants Access to Driver’s Licenses
Providing driver’s licenses to all immigrants makes Colorado roads safer and results in greater savings in automobile insurance premiums for all Colorado drivers. Licensed drivers become more knowledgeable about traffic laws, purchase cars and insurance and register their vehicles.
In 2013, the Colorado State legislature passed SB 251, the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act, which allowed up to six DMV offices to offer driver’s licenses to immigrants without documentation residing in Colorado.
Under current law, funding for this program must be reauthorized every year and is severely limited. Due to this, the number of participating DMV offices have been cut from five to three and will eventually be cut to one office once 66,000 total licenses in Colorado are granted. The Colorado Fiscal Institute believes the economic and social benefits of providing driver’s licenses to all immigrants far outweigh the administrative costs of the program.
Learn more below.
