Miss-Delectable
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The Trentonian - DEAF DRIVER? PROVE IT
David and Mary Cunningham have been deaf for their entire lives, have been driving for more than 40 years and have never had trouble renewing their licenses.
That all changed last week when Mary went to get her license renewed at the Baker's Basin Motor Vehicle Commission in Lawrence. After years of writing on the forms she was deaf and renewing for years with no problems, Mary learned she would need to pay for a doctor's visit proving she was indeed deaf before the MVC would renew her license.
But when her husband David renewed his license at the same facility a few months before his wife in February, he, too, wrote on his form he was deaf and received his renewed license with no problem.
The couple are trying to figure out why suddenly she was forced to get a physician's note confirming their deafness and why the couple wasn't notified of what they tought was a sudden changein the "hit and miss" policy, a friend said.
"How are these people going to know ahead of time what they need, especially for a deaf person?" said Joan Toth, friend of the Cunningham's who spoke on behalf of the couple. "There's no sign on the wall saying there are new rules and regulations. They should do more to get the word out to deaf persons."
The MVC says otherwise. The policy for obtaining a first-time license or renewing one has remained the same for years and deaf persons need to prove they are deaf from either a physician or audiologist.
"It is always part of the policy that they have to have some sort of verification," said Cathleen Lewis, a spokesperson from the MVC. "That has not changed."
The license used to have a sticker with the international sign for deafness, an ear with a slash through it, but that sticker was replaced with either the symbol or with the number four, representing "hearing impaired" imprinted on the license itself.
The law requiring deaf people to verify their disability has been around for at at least 20 years, if not more, but wasn't enforced until January, said Martha Fowler, a driver's education teacher for New Jersey's School for the Deaf - Katzenback Campus in Ewing who has been bringing her deaf drivers to the MVC for over 20 years. In January, she started to bring the audiologist report for the student with her, she said.
"It's always been on the books," said Fowler. "But at Bakers Basin, they just started asking for it. They are trying to get more uniform with everything."
Once they get the doctor's note proving their disability, they don't need to prove it again, just like an eye test that requires glasses.
When asked, a supervisor at Bakers Basin knew nothing about the deaf driver's license and referred The Trentonian to Agency Services.
Despite the problems the Cunningham's faced, the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has not heard any complaints from others who had trouble getting their license.
"Generally speaking, we have not heard complaints (of) people not receive their license," said Acting Director Ira Hock.
The regulations requiring the doctor's note are posted on the MVC's Web site at State.nj.us/mvc/index.htm or from the New Jersey Driver Manual. It states a special driver license for deaf motorists or those with a hearing impairment of 41 db loss or more is required, and that a physician or audiologist verification is necessary.
MVC would pay for interpreter's fees for hearing impaired applicants of the driving test, but will not pay for the doctor's visit proving deafness.
However, the information on the Web site is buried deep in a PDF file and as Toth points out, the printed Driver Manual is for first-time drivers.
"These people have been driving for 40 years," Toth said. "This is for people who are first (learning to) drive."
As of yesterday, Mary was still in the process of scheduling her doctor's visit before she can renew her licence.
"I feel the MVC division should be aware and this is the way they shouldn't handle a deaf person," Toft said.
David and Mary Cunningham have been deaf for their entire lives, have been driving for more than 40 years and have never had trouble renewing their licenses.
That all changed last week when Mary went to get her license renewed at the Baker's Basin Motor Vehicle Commission in Lawrence. After years of writing on the forms she was deaf and renewing for years with no problems, Mary learned she would need to pay for a doctor's visit proving she was indeed deaf before the MVC would renew her license.
But when her husband David renewed his license at the same facility a few months before his wife in February, he, too, wrote on his form he was deaf and received his renewed license with no problem.
The couple are trying to figure out why suddenly she was forced to get a physician's note confirming their deafness and why the couple wasn't notified of what they tought was a sudden changein the "hit and miss" policy, a friend said.
"How are these people going to know ahead of time what they need, especially for a deaf person?" said Joan Toth, friend of the Cunningham's who spoke on behalf of the couple. "There's no sign on the wall saying there are new rules and regulations. They should do more to get the word out to deaf persons."
The MVC says otherwise. The policy for obtaining a first-time license or renewing one has remained the same for years and deaf persons need to prove they are deaf from either a physician or audiologist.
"It is always part of the policy that they have to have some sort of verification," said Cathleen Lewis, a spokesperson from the MVC. "That has not changed."
The license used to have a sticker with the international sign for deafness, an ear with a slash through it, but that sticker was replaced with either the symbol or with the number four, representing "hearing impaired" imprinted on the license itself.
The law requiring deaf people to verify their disability has been around for at at least 20 years, if not more, but wasn't enforced until January, said Martha Fowler, a driver's education teacher for New Jersey's School for the Deaf - Katzenback Campus in Ewing who has been bringing her deaf drivers to the MVC for over 20 years. In January, she started to bring the audiologist report for the student with her, she said.
"It's always been on the books," said Fowler. "But at Bakers Basin, they just started asking for it. They are trying to get more uniform with everything."
Once they get the doctor's note proving their disability, they don't need to prove it again, just like an eye test that requires glasses.
When asked, a supervisor at Bakers Basin knew nothing about the deaf driver's license and referred The Trentonian to Agency Services.
Despite the problems the Cunningham's faced, the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has not heard any complaints from others who had trouble getting their license.
"Generally speaking, we have not heard complaints (of) people not receive their license," said Acting Director Ira Hock.
The regulations requiring the doctor's note are posted on the MVC's Web site at State.nj.us/mvc/index.htm or from the New Jersey Driver Manual. It states a special driver license for deaf motorists or those with a hearing impairment of 41 db loss or more is required, and that a physician or audiologist verification is necessary.
MVC would pay for interpreter's fees for hearing impaired applicants of the driving test, but will not pay for the doctor's visit proving deafness.
However, the information on the Web site is buried deep in a PDF file and as Toth points out, the printed Driver Manual is for first-time drivers.
"These people have been driving for 40 years," Toth said. "This is for people who are first (learning to) drive."
As of yesterday, Mary was still in the process of scheduling her doctor's visit before she can renew her licence.
"I feel the MVC division should be aware and this is the way they shouldn't handle a deaf person," Toft said.
