In The Politics of Autism, I discuss interactions between first responders and autistic people. Some jurisdictions allow autistic drivers to ask for a blue envelope to disclose the driver's diagnosis in case of an accident or traffic stop. Others have ID cards.
Jenn Jarecki and Nathaniel Wilson at Vermont Public Radio:
The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles recently unveiled a new program aimed at easing challenges for autistic drivers and the law enforcement officers who engage them.
Some autistic people experience the senses more intensely than neurotypical people: flashing police lights, for example. And there can be differences in communication, which can lead to behaviors being misinterpreted.
The DMV’s Blue Envelope Program is designed to make routine traffic stops feel safer and less stressful.
Vermont Public's Jenn Jarecki was recently joined in-studio by Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Wanda Minoli to learn more about the program. This interview was produced for the ear. We highly recommend listening to the audio. We’ve also provided a transcript, which has been edited for length and clarity.
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Jenn Jarecki: I understand that other states have similar programs, like neighbors in Connecticut and Massachusetts, to name just a couple. How much influence did that existing work have on what's ultimately been rolled out here in Vermont?
Wanda Minoli: Well, for us, we used the other states' model of the envelope and started there. Don't reinvent the wheel. If there's a successful program out there, then, you know, state to state, we try to model. And that's really, really important because when you think about this program, and you think about our residents and our New England states, we don't drive just in Vermont. We may take a vacation to Maine, we may be traveling to Massachusetts for something, and you possibly could be stopped roadside. And what we have now is consistent messaging for all law enforcement, and that applies for people driving into our state. So, when they hand the blue envelope over, all law enforcement is aware. They know exactly what they're getting and what this document means, and that's really important, too.
