Iowa DOT Doing Something Great For the Autism Community
Iowa is making some headway in improving the lives of a large portion of individuals.
Usually when we hear about stories of legislation being passed, half of us get angry while the other half feels pretty vindicated. This is one of those rare cases where EVERYONE wins.
For drivers who are on the Autism Spectrum, Iowa Department of Transportation is offering something very interesting. If you identify as being on the spectrum, you can request to have the word "autism" added to your card.
This is completely voluntary for people residing in Iowa. The goal of this initiative is to make communication between autsitic individuals and police easier. In a statement announcing this new addition to driver's licenses Iowa DOT officials said this is meant to,
"...better serve your communication needs when you are using a driver's license or ID."
This all started after one Iowan's unfortunate experience with the police. Several years ago Tyler Leech was pulled over while driving for a tail light issue. According to reports, the officer thought Leech was being difficult when he was actually just scared.
Leech was diagnosed with autism when he was 22 months old and has made many efforts to improve the lives of fellow people in the autism community.
Leech worked with State Senator Tony Bisignano to get a bill passed. Also, another great thing about this piece of legislation, it got full bipartisan support on both sides.
This entire process is completely voluntary for people interested in getting this addition to their driver's license. If you are interested in getting this added, the usual fees do apply. For more information feel free to check out all of the details about this process here.