by Pennsylvania Legislators Propose New Requirements for Drivers
State representatives in Pennsylvania have announced plans to introduce a bill that would require individuals to pass an English language knowledge test to obtain a driver’s license. Furthermore, they want all other tests to be offered exclusively in English.
In a memorandum published by Republicans Marla Brown and Joe Hamm, the legislators claim that “due to the massive influx of immigrants to the United States, we are consistently seeing accidents caused by” “individuals who lack the ability or desire to learn and effectively speak or recognize the English language.”
Safety or Restriction?
They described this issue as a “serious safety concern,” insisting that drivers must be able to read and understand road signs and communicate clearly with police.
We cannot allow drivers who do not understand English to obtain driver’s licenses in Pennsylvania. It is simply too dangerous for everyone who calls the Commonwealth home.
To address this issue, the two legislators plan to introduce a law requiring both the written test and the driving test to be offered exclusively in English. This would be a minor change, as currently only the driving test is English-only.
Proposal Details
The representatives also want the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to develop an English language proficiency test to ensure that “every new driver in the Commonwealth demonstrates the ability to read and speak English.”
Every new driver would have to pass this test, but individuals who currently hold a driver’s license or are simply renewing it would be exempt. However, this would not apply to legal immigrants. Instead, they would have to retake the English proficiency test for license renewal.
The representatives also propose banning interpreters during testing and requiring the state to provide the driver’s manual only in English. Additionally, they want to change the requirements for commercial driver’s licenses to ensure the knowledge test is conducted exclusively in English. However, there will be some accommodations for individuals who use sign language.
Real Threats on the Roads
While the representatives hinted at a huge increase in accidents caused by recent immigrants, the state’s own figures show that the number of crashes and fatalities has remained fairly stable.
Specifically, there were 117,899 crashes in 2021 and 115,938 in 2022. These numbers dropped to 110,382 in 2023 and 110,765 in 2024. The number of fatalities also decreased significantly from 2021 and 2022, when up to 1,230 people died on Pennsylvania roads. Last year, that number fell to 1,127.
While the state does not have a breakdown of crashes and fatalities caused by people who do not speak English, they do have statistics on speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol. Unsurprisingly, these are major factors in fatalities.
Of the 1,127 people who died last year, 244 fatalities were alcohol-related and 263 were related to speeding. This means that almost 45% of fatal crashes were caused by one of these two issues.
The proposal raises questions about whether language barriers are a primary risk factor on the roads, or if legislators are focusing on one aspect while data clearly points to other, more systemic issues. Discussions on road safety often require a comprehensive approach that considers all factors, from infrastructure to driving culture, not just language proficiency. Introducing additional language barriers could have indirect consequences, limiting mobility and employment opportunities for certain population groups, which, in turn, could affect the socio-economic dynamics of the region.
