More licensed and insured drivers will make our roads safer and will help with interactions with law enforcement. Law Enforcement Officers understand that this will assist them with community policing efforts and to keep us all safe. Join other law enforcement agents from across by signing the letter below.
Dear Legislators and Governor Murphy –
As men and women in law enforcement have made our communities' public safety our main priority. One of the issues we face that puts the public at risk is the fact that many people are driving without licenses – only because the current system prevents them from getting trained, tested, licensed and insured. But it doesn’t have to be this way. As law enforcement officers from across the Garden State, we are writing to urge you to support and enact legislation that would expand access to driver’s licenses to all able New Jerseyans.
We support legislation that would allow those who are unable to obtain a license to verify their identity and register with our Motor Vehicle agencies. This will allow all New Jerseyans to drive safety across our state and will be limited for only that purpose, not allowing those with this license to obtain federal, state, or government benefits they don't already qualify for. Our officers will be able to interact with drivers safely and see a decrease in unsafe driving practices. With this license, New Jersey would keep more motorists and residents safe – all while still upholding federal laws.
This policy change would not be a bold step into the unknown; 13 states and the District of Columbia currently have similar policies. Joining these states would yield a range of public safety benefits for all New Jerseyans, including:
Safer Roads
• Having more drivers trained, tested and licensed leads to safer roads for everyone.
• Based on the experience of states with similar laws, the number of traffic accidents on New Jersey roads would likely decrease.
• People with licenses are less likely to flee from traffic accidents.
Fewer Questions About Identity
• Law enforcement officers would be able to quickly determine a person’s driving record and hold people accountable and would spend less time determining peoples’ identities, allowing them to focus on more serious public-safety matters.
Better Community Relations
• Many residents would feel more comfortable contacting the police to report accidents or crimes.
• Communities would be safer due to improved relations between immigrant communities and law enforcement.
We believe that allowing all eligible residents to be tested, licensed and insured would create a safer New Jersey and allow everyone to engage more in the economic, social and cultural life of the state. For these reasons, we urge you to support this legislation.
Respectfully,