Q What do people from other countries have to do to qualify for a Kansas driver’s license? Do they take a driving test? Do they take a written test? If they already have a license, do they still have to be tested? What if they can’t read English? Do they have to have driver’s training if they’ve never driven before?
A “Yes to all those,” said Bonnie Brown, assistant to the director of vehicles, Motor Vehicle Division of the Kansas Department of Revenue. “We require a written and driven test.”
Tests can be given in both English and Spanish.
“If it’s anything other than that, then they have to provide an interpreter,” Brown said. “If they’re not from this country, they have to provide legal documentation.”
People who cannot speak can be shown pictures instead of having verbal tests.
“If you can speak verbally in any language, then you will be given a test,” Brown said. “The only time a picture is given is if a person can’t speak verbally at all.”
Brown said that applicants are not required to have taken a test from a driving school to qualify for a license.
“What would be suggested would be to get the learner’s permit, like the kids do, and then learn that way,” she said.
A learner’s permit for an international driver carries the same provisions as the ones for beginning drivers.
Brown said that witnesses need to take action if they see a driver driving unsafely, whether the driver seems to lack experience or skills, cannot see wel, or any other factor that could influence safety.
“Their tag numbers need to be taken down and the police need to be called,” she said. “... (T)hey do need to report it to police, and police need to report it to us.”
Once police have notified the Division of Vehicles, action can be taken, depending upon the situation. A driver may be required to have a physical or an eye examination or may be required to drive with an examiner to prove he or she is competent. Action also can be taken if a driver has a certain number of accidents or tickets within certain periods of time.
“We can’t just take an anonymous phone call and act on it,” Brown said. “We can’t go out and pick and choose who we want to test.”
She mentioned that there are driving schools for those who struggle with driving and the laws surrounding it. Department of Motor Vehicles stations also have driver’s books and manuals in English and Spanish at no charge.
hottopics (anonymous) says...
Well the system isnt working very well with the new residence in town. They are teaching other and scaring us to death. My mother had one that passed her in the turning lane.
April 6, 2007 at 8:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )