What is the problem? Under current state law, Alabama suspends the driver’s license of anyone who cannot afford to pay off a traffic ticket and anyone who misses a court hearing. Far from keeping our roads safe, this simply results in thousands of low-wealth Alabamians losing their ability to legally operate a vehicle. There are 170,000 people in Alabama who currently have their driver’s license suspended because of unpaid traffic ticket debt, and together they account for 95 percent of all suspended licenses in the state.  

Why does it matter? Without reliable access to transportation and lacking the most common form of identification, these 170,000 Alabamians struggle to find and keep jobs as a result of this backwards policy. The consequences are often far-reaching and devastating for working families in Alabama.  

You can use this online portal to send letters to your state legislators urging them to end this harmful practice by passing SB-154 / HB-264. Once you send those letters, you can share this portal with other people in your community. In 2022, we were just one vote away from passing a law to end debt-based driver’s license suspensions in Alabama. Let’s make sure lawmakers hear from us so that we can get this over the finish line in 2023!