Driver's License Suspension

44 states in the U.S. suspend People's driver's licenses, even those with safe driving records, simply because they are too poor to pay their traffic tickets or court costs.

Losing a driver’s license is an irrational punishment that goes far beyond the initial fine. Such wealth-based schemes not only trap our most vulnerable citizens in a vicious cycle of poverty, but they make no sense. Unable to drive, people often lose their jobs or have a hard time finding employment, making it even more unlikely that they will be able to pay their debts to the state. Impoverished individuals with suspended licenses cannot fulfill daily responsibilities like taking their children to school, caring for elderly family members, or going to the doctor’s office.