ReEstablish Richmond Executive Director Kate Ayers (left) and Laura Jones, director of the agency’s driver’s education program, say changes are needed to make it easier for non-English speakers to obtain driver’s licenses in Virginia. (Photo by Ash Daniel)
Refugees and immigrants attempting to obtain driver’s licenses are facing significant language access barriers at the Virginia DMV, according to a recent report by ReEstablish Richmond, a local refugee resettlement agency.
The report, “Barriers and Burdens: Lack of Language Access at the Virginia DMV Creates Roadblocks for Refugee and Immigrant Newcomers,” outlines eight specific recommendations for the DMV to improve access for non-English speakers, including allowing interpreters to be present during exams, creating study materials in all languages in which the driving test is offered and reviewing all existing translated material with human translators.
ReEstablish Richmond discovered the problem several years ago, which prompted it to begin building a driver’s education program, Executive Director Kate Ayers says.
“People were saying they needed driver’s licenses, but they couldn’t pass the test.”
Barriers range from lack of properly translated study materials to a difficult and confusing testing process for individuals who are not fluent in English. While access has improved for languages such as Spanish, refugees, especially those from the Middle East and Asia, still face significant barriers due to the diversity of dialects found in those parts of the world. ReEstablish Richmond provides immigrants and refugees with translated study materials, transportation to the DMV and support in navigating the process of obtaining a driver’s license.
“We have had quite a bit of interaction with the DMV, pressing these issues,” Ayers says, “and we’ve had some success advocating for our clients.” Still, additional changes are necessary.
“Our students are routinely getting 95% on [practice] tests,” says Laura Jones, director of ReEstablish Richmond’s driver’s education program. However she adds, 92% fail the test on their first attempt due to issues stemming from poor translations.
It can take as long as five years to gain enough proficiency with English to take a driver’s test without difficulty, which is five years without transportation to employment, education, health care and more, Ayers says. Getting a driver’s license is crucial for immigrants and refugees to support themselves and contribute to their local economy.
