Group finds driver’s licenses to immigrants will make Wisconsin driving safer, insurance premiums cheaper

The way to get to safer roads in Wisconsin might be through providing drivers licenses to immigrants.

That, according to a new report from the group Kids Forward.

Executive director Ken Taylor, with the group, says there are several benefits from all immigrants — documented or not — having access to a license to drive.

Taylor says their new research clearly shows that allowing access to a driver’s license by undocumented immigrants will lower insurance rates around the state.

The data from the group shows 28,000 additional drivers would be licensed and insured if all immigrants were allowed access to a driver’s license.

“That would decrease the percent of folks who are uninsured,” Taylor said, “Uninsured drivers drive up insurance premiums for those who have insurance.”

Taylor says a dozen other states that made it illegal for undocumented immigrants to get a driver’s license have since returned to making the process legal. He says Wisconsin could see many economic benefits by doing the same.

It’s also something immigrants in the nation illegally actually want, as well.

“(They want to) not have to worry every time they leave their house, what’s going to happen if they get pulled over and don’t have a drivers license,” Taylor said.

Taylor says says increasing access to licenses by undocumented immigrants would help protect those families who are currently, according to the group, “under attack by federal lawmakers.”

“We think that it’s really important that everyone be able to have access to a driver’s’ license, because we know that, when you do that, you have drivers tests that are required and, also, insurance is required when you’re driving legally,” Taylor said.