Conversation on Debt-Related Driver's License Suspensions

It is estimated that at least 11 million people nationwide have their licenses suspended not because they are dangerous drivers, but simply because they can’t afford to pay a ticket or fine.

In Ohio's urban communities, there are over 700 total suspensions for every 1,000 people of driving-age. While many states have responded to this problem by changing their laws, Ohio remains one of the states that use driver's license suspensions to severely penalize those in debt, resulting in a viscous cycle of poverty and criminalization.

Join Cleveland State University's Levin College of Public Affairs and Education for a discussion about the debt-related driver's license suspension research conducted by The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. The conversation will be moderated by Erika L. Anthony, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Cleveland VOTES.

A panel of experts will discuss the impacts of debt-related driver's license suspensions on individuals and communities, potential policy reforms to address this issue, and the broader implications for transportation, economic stability, and social justice.

Panelists include:

• Joi Carter, Network Manager at Neighborhood Connections
• Zack Eckles, Policy Advocate for the Ohio Poverty Law Center
• Dr. Brian Mikelbank, Associate Professor of Urban Studies at Cleveland State University
• Anne K. Sweeney, Managing Attorney for Community Engagement at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

Event registration requested via Cleveland State University's website.

Read Legal Aid's full report:  Road to Nowhere: Debt-Related Driver’s License Suspensions in Ohio