The US State of Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has officially added the Yoruba Language for Drivers’ Permit Tests, Vehicle Registration and Study Materials.

The Yoruba language was added based on the latest data from the United States census data which shows that Yorùbá was one of the largest non-English languages spoken in the state.

MVA Administrator, Chrissy Nizer said in a statement, “Improving accessibility for the driver’s knowledge test and study materials is critical to serve Maryland’s linguistically diverse population.

“We are committed to the safety of all our new drivers and we want all our applicants to understand the materials clearly and have a positive testing experience.”

This means that starting this September, Maryland residents will be able to take their learner’s permit in the Yoruba language.

The announcement Is part of several new initiatives around the state to reflect its growing and diverse population.

Other languages added are Tagalog, Amharic, Arabic, Russian, Urdu, Hindi, Farsi, Portuguese and American Sign Language.

Getting a learner’s permit is the first step to getting a driver’s license in the state, according to MVA.

The new language joins English, Spanish, French, Nepali, Korean, traditional Chinese and Vietnamese.

The Motor Vehicle Administration uses U.S. Census data to determine language availability. The new languages join the current languages being offered, including English, Spanish, French, Nepali, Korean, traditional Chinese and Vietnamese.

To apply for a learner’s permit, an applicant must pass the permit driver’s knowledge test on The Law Test System, and to pass the exam, the applicant must finish the test within the allotted time of 20 minutes and achieve a test score of 88% percent or better. (Saturday Tribune: Text, Excluding Headline)