A new law went into effect on Sunday which now allows some persons with suspended driver licenses to continue driving to work. Before Sunday, there was no exception. This put many people in a terrible predicament: drive in violation of law or lose their job. While the law is an improvement, it will not help everyone. Per Alabama Arise:
The creation of hardship licenses will lift those barriers for thousands of families. Eligible Alabamians who lost their licenses for administrative reasons or because of certain convictions will be able to drive to work, take their children to school and perform other essential household duties.
The hardship license would allow them to drive their employer or job training, job interviews, church, schools or daycare for themselves or their children, drug or alcohol treatment, court appearances, probation and parole, a scheduled medical or mental health treatment appointment, a pharmacy.
The law is is limited to:
- Persons in Community Corrections,
- Persons in DOC work-release,
- Persons released from DOC,
- and any “person with a suspended or revoked Alabama driver license who can demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of ALEA that he or she does not pose a risk to public safety and who can fully demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of ALEA that he or she cannot obtain reasonable transportation.
BAD NEWS:
Persons whose driver license is currently suspended or revoked for a serious traffic offense pursuant like reckless driving, DUI, racing on the highway, etc are not eligible.
No person EVER convicted of DUI is eligible.
No person a driver who has committed any moving violation involving or resulting in serious physical injury or death of another person is eligible.
Commercial driving privileges do not apply.
The details of the new rule can be find here.
You can find the application here.
