[lg policy] New Jersey's drivers' license language policy

Harold Schiffman hfsclpp at GMAIL.COM
Thu Jun 30 15:32:24 UTC 2011


Question to the ROAD WARRIOR COLUMNIST

Q. When I go to Italy, I'm told that if I lived there I'd have to take
a written test for a license that's administered only in the Italian
language. But in New Jersey, a newcomer may take the written test in
one of several languages. Since all our signs here are in English,
doesn't this testing standard compromise safety? Joe Fortuna, New
Milford

Various countries embrace different cultures and languages. Italy's
long history embraces one language. But the United States has a
multicultural history that includes many. New Jersey accepted a
multi-language policy for driver testing long ago to extend driving
privileges to a cross-section of cultures to accommodate nearly
everyone. As for safety, nearly all safety signs, such as the red,
octagonal STOP sign and red, amber and green traffic lights, are easy
to read regardless of language since they have the same colors and
shapes throughout most of the world.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/124692978_Stop-light_confusion_at_the_new_Broadway_lgihts.html

-- [NB: parts of this message have been deleted (hs)]

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