New Invoice Would Permit Drivers With Autism To Have A Distinctive License So Cops May Determine Their Particular Wants
For drivers with the autism spectrum, dealing with stressful situations with car accidents or police officers can be disastrous.
While the person with autism cannot do any harm, a police officer could disrupt a breakdown or stress management mechanism as aggression, violence, or hostility, but a new bill aims to prevent that from happening.
In 2019, a 22-year-old black man with autism was falsely sentenced to 50 years in prison for a non-fatal car accident caused by a seizure, according to Boston 25 News.
Although it was an accident caused by a medical emergency, police believed the man caused the accident on purpose and he didn’t have the social skills to understand what was going on and eventually mistakenly gave the To blame. Although he was released after two years, he has received no compensation for his illegal detention and will continue to have that sentence on file along with several years probation.
This is just one example of a tragedy caused by a system that is not equipped to deal with drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Fortunately, a new law in New Jersey hopes to reduce cases where the police react incorrectly to those on the spectrum.
The new bill, S-741, “allows an individual diagnosed with autism or communication disabilities to voluntarily make a note on their driver’s license, ID card, and the MVC registry.”
It “is also establishing a program to train law enforcement officers in dealing with people with autism or communication disabilities”.
Allowing people with autism to properly identify themselves and training officers to respond appropriately could reduce the number of people wrongly detained and ensure that autistic people feel more secure around police officers.
The law came after New York introduced a similar law and New Jersey residents heard about it. Residents sent letters and called New Jersey lawmakers, calling for the bill to be drawn up, according to App., USA TODAY.
In an interview with App., USA TODAY, Rep. Serena DiMaso said, “The reason this bill is important is that we are now establishing these special needs registries for first responders across the state, wherever when you are in a home with a person who has autism, but we don’t have that for police officers who do a traffic control. “
Legislation was quickly adopted and promoted, with most people agreeing to its importance and importance. It could save lives and create a more inclusive and safer world for all people.
