Ohio leaders training people to help non-English speakers get driver’s licenses
CINCINNATI —
Ohio state leaders are working to train people who will help non-English speakers obtain their driver’s licenses.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced an expansion to driver training, in light of the surge in Haitian migrants across the community of Springfield, Ohio.
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The city says that Springfield’s lower cost of living and available work are reasons why immigrants are choosing it as their new home.
City officials said based on data from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Springfield City Schools, area health care providers and social services agencies, the total immigrant population is estimated to be approximately 12,000 to 15,000 in Clark County.
This week, the Ohio Traffic Safety office “trained the trainers,” meaning driving instructors can teach basic driving and traffic laws, along with license requirements, to drivers who do not speak English.
“We’re a nation made of immigrants, right, so we are consistently going to have new people coming in, and in order to make us safe and those people safe, I think it’s important to have a community mindset and really embrace our differences, but also be more welcoming,” international staff recruiter Elena Rosato said.
The next set of free classes will take place in northwest Ohio after multiple requests from non-English speaking communities in that area.
The Ohio Traffic Safety Office launched the program in July, with classes designed to equip people with the skills to teach basic driving safety to those who do not speak English in the state.
Officials said it took more than six months to develop the user-friendly driving curriculum that is used in the training.