New Utah Driver's License Change Helps Those with Medical Issues

As much as we’d like to stay safe on the road, sometimes an unpredictable factor impedes our progress to our destination. It could be a roadblock, an accident, or just bad traffic. To some, however, the unpredictable factor is their own bodies.

Underlying medical conditions and the mental wellbeing of a driver can affect their commute, even if it’s the most minor of inconveniences. This is why the State of Utah’s Driver’s License Division has released a new benefit for drivers dealing with conditions that could affect their safety on the road.

Officer William Dehart from the St. George Police Department covered some of details on the SGPD’s Facebook page.

Officer Dehart said, “It’s called the Invisible Condition Identification Symbol. It’s a voluntary program. All you need to do is go to the Driver’s License Division’s website and print off this paper. Take this paper to your healthcare worker, and they will fill this out and assess it based upon the individual condition of you or your family member. Take this completed form back to the DLD, there’s no administrative fee assigned to it, and they’ll issue a very small blue sticker with a white on it that just attaches to your driver’s license.”

Now what does this symbol actually do? According to Officer Dehart, it will help officers assess the situation when conducting a traffic stop or other police procedures involving those with an “invisible condition.”

Such conditions include:

Communication impediment
Hearing loss
Autism spectrum disorder
Drug allergy
Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
Post-traumatic brain injury
Schizophrenia
Epilepsy
Developmental disability
Down syndrome
Diabetes
Heart condition
Other conditions identified by a healthcare professional

Those interested in the Invisible Condition Identification Symbol can also call the DLD Customer service line at 801-965-4437 or the toll-free line at 888-353-4227. Lastly, if you’d like to remove the sticker from your driver’s license and record, then you must go to the DLD website and complete the removal form.