News Archive

Research on Indiana's driver's license suspension policies conducted by Ryan T. Schwier, '16, and Autumn James, '16, was cited in a decision released December 5 from the Indiana Supreme Court. They conducted this research under the direction of Professor Fran Quigley, '87, and the Health and Human Rights Clinic.

The case, State of Indiana and Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles v Daniel Reinhart, affirmed the trial court's order reinstating the appellant's specialized driving privileges. Schwier and James studied the impact that the state's driver's license suspension policies have on the poor in “Roadblock to Economic Independence: How Driver’s License Suspension Policies in Indiana Impede Financial Self-Sufficiency, Burden State Government, and Tax Public Resources.”

This study, released in 2016, found that state laws and procedures related to driver’s license suspensions impact low-income Hoosiers disproportionately. The use of driver’s license suspensions for reasons not related to driving safety, when coupled with the increase in license reinstatement fees, makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the poor to legally regain their licenses. The lack of reliable alternative transportation and the growing suburbanization of jobs means that these suspensions create significant barriers to those trying to maintain employment. In addition to burdening the poor, driver’s license suspension policies have a significant impact on public resources, government administration, and public safety, the report finds.

Justice Mark Massa, '89, writing for the majority, makes a reference to the study in the decision's conclusion.