Missouri adds speech impairment designation to driver’s licenses

Missouri drivers can now add “speech impairment” to the list of medical alerts on state-issued IDs and licenses, a change advocates say will improve communication between motorists and emergency personnel.

The designation went into effect in August after the Missouri Department of Revenue approved it through an internal policy update. Unlike past medical alert additions, no new legislation was needed.

Jamie Saunders, whose teenage daughter stutters, first raised the issue when her child applied for a state ID at age 14.

“Since she often has difficulty saying her name and date of birth, I thought this would be another helpful tool to support her communication,” Saunders said. “The clerk searched through every disability category in the system—but there was nothing for my baby girl. She l