'Now there's a safety net': Marlboro mom's work pays off with autism driver's license law

One day last fall, as Jay Fisher drove to class at Brookdale Community College, his car was rear-ended near the campus in the Lincroft section of Middletown. The freshman from Marlboro immediately called his mother, and Deb Fisher rushed to the scene.

“I didn’t know if Jay had the skills to really advocate for himself, but Jay did,” she said. “We’d worked with him on it, and the first thing he said was, ‘I want you to know I have autism.’ I do think it changed the whole conversation with the police officer.”

Concerns about Jay’s interactions with first responders, in case of an accident or a moving violation, is what motivated Deb Fisher to begin pushing for New Jersey to allow a voluntary notation on a driver’s license that indicates a person’s autism or communications disorder. She started making calls and sending emails about it in 2019.

Earlier this week it became reality, as Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation S761, which “requires MVC (Motor Vehicle Commission) to provide, upon request, notation on driver's license or identification card of diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or communication disorder."

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The law goes into effect in November 2024, at which time Jay Fisher will put it to use. He’s 19 years old now and doesn’t drive a ton, but driving does enable him to commute to college.

“I hope the word gets out about this, and people are fully aware of it,” he said. “Even though I’m a good driver and I always try my best, I feel that now there’s a safety net.”

The goal is to avoid something like what happened to Matthew Rushin in 2019. The then-22-year-old Virginia driver with autism was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a car accident. Due to a communication breakdown at the scene, police — who were unaware of Rushin’s autism — determined he intentionally caused the crash.

Rushin later was pardoned by Virginia’s governor, but the case sparked Deb Fisher’s advocacy for a notation law.

“It’s such a stressful situation for anybody with autism to be driving and be pulled over because their routine is interrupted and their nerves are on high,” she said. “It used to keep me up at night, but now there’s a sense of relief.”

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Fisher’s first breakthrough on the issue took place in 2021 when two Monmouth County legislators — Sen. Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso — sponsored a version of the bill in their respective chambers. That year Deb Fisher also testified on its importance to the state Senate Transportation Committee, which voted unanimously to advance the measure. It took two more years, however, to finally get a version across the finish line.

“I’m just so happy that it passed — and so happy for so many other families,” Deb Fisher said. “I hope this saves lives and saves trauma — and spreads kindness. I hope it helps people communicate on a level where everybody’s understood.”

Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shore’s interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Marlboro mom led charge that led to autism NJ driver's license law