National Drivers License and Inspection?

[G. David Felt]

So this week I have seen some really crazy driving from both local license plated auto's and out of state auto's along with auto's that have had front headlights out and it is way before predawn and they are using fog lights only to partial tail lights, brake lights where only one works and the middle and one of the outside is burnt out.

With the stated above, it got me to thinking about our current drivers licenses and safety standards for auto's. I understand each state wants to keep control, yet the whole idea of the Federal gov was to have a set of standards that keeps a level playing field for this country.

What would it take and or what would you feel should be the standards for a national drivers license and safety inspection program? With that in mind, could a national drivers license also act as a national passport then to leave and enter the country simplifying the ability to travel for US citizens?

Sound off on what type of National Standardized driving program we should have?

Sound off on what all should the license allow you to drive? Auto, motorcycle, Semi?

Sound off on what type of safety inspection should be done on auto's and how often?

Pretty much think of this as a clean sheet approach to redoing our system for drivers licenses, safety etc. Should one who does not speak english be allowed to get a drivers license? Why or why not?

[Drew Dowdell]

The 10th Amendment puts this debate to bed pretty quickly. However, there is no reason that state level police shouldn't be able to enforce state laws on any vehicle driving in that state regardless of plates. I've seen some cars driving around Miami (FL has no inspection) that would get you pulled over pretty quickly here in PA (yearly inspection)

[Robert Hall]

No inspections here in stupid Arizona...I've seen cars driving around w/ no bumpers, no hoods, no front fenders, etc... even saw a pickup on the freeway once with no glass.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

The LAST THING we need is another bloated, inefficient agency at the federal level, blowing thru money and causing staggering red tape & confusion, making Star Trek parody videos.

I was just in the state DMV office yesterday looking for commercial plate info. I had the teller telling me to ignore the printed application she just handed me (which allows sole-proprietors to forgo a CorpCode) and get a Corp Code. She also told me I needed a FEIN (which I am not required to have). To put a Comm plate on my personal vehicle, I have to bring my title & proof of ownership in, re-title & re-register my vehicle under my business name (with proof of that), then apply for a CorpCode, Then apply for Comm plates, then get Comm insurance, then letter my truck. I'm telling you from experience- fly under the radar as much as possible. The 'front desk' guy had me report back to him, as apparently my question wasn't familiar to him, and he's only 10-ft from the tellers. Can you imagine that row of hoops at the federal level?? PleaseGodno.

No inspections here in stupid Jersey either - but I have never seen a vehicle driving without a hood or front fenders (that wasn't a hot rod). Bumpers have been a cosmetic item for decades, so the rare missing-bumper vehicle isn't a safety issue. Lights are another, widespread issue.

Edited August 13, 2013 by balthazar

[Drew Dowdell]

I've seen cars in Florida with no hood, some with missing doors, I've seen what was once a police cruiser Crown Vic driving down the highway without a single external light installed.

[balthazar]

Having no trunk lid is also a transgression (at least in PA) - wonder how all those millions of pick-ups get away with that? Same difference. Vehicle Code has some questionable laws in it.

[G. David Felt]

So that folks who might not be up on our constitution can understand what Drew is saying:

The Tenth Amendment is the last part of the Bill of Rights, and is intended to protect state sovereignty as well as (to an extent) individual rights from being usurped by the Federal government.

Amendment X

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

Translated, this means: The states have legal authority over anything not assigned to the federal government or specifically withheld from the states. Whatever powers aren't claimed by the federal or state governments are leftover for the people. US residents (both citizens and other people under US jurisdiction) are also vaguely protected by the Ninth Amendment, which essentially says you have rights beyond those mentioned in the first eight amendments (unfortunately, these have to be negotiated with various government entities).

So with this said, how does the EPA fit into this then?Has the fed not already stated their control over auto's and driving?

Would it not make sense to reduce the cost to tax payers at the state level and make one single driving entity that over sees a standardized driving test based on maximizing the skill for each and every American so that we have safer roads? Would it not also simplify things for the local police by having a single set of standard driving laws to enforce?

Then as an ID card, this would allow a faster entrance into the country by having a single standard ID that can be quickly scanned and verified.

Than a standardize safety inspection to make sure lights work, safety settings, etc.

I see the concern for another inefficient agency, but then would it not be better to have one agency to deal with nation wide rather than mulitple agencies across the country?

[regfootball]

i used to be against separate california emission standards.

But if you go back to the notion that we are a federalist collection of states and there should be as little of power and legislation at the national centralized level, then this idea is off the charts bad. And the notion of a national ID? Even worse.

This is another path to takeover by the feds which is exactly what our system is designed against. Or supposed to be.

The better approach would be for states, under their own choice, to adhere to a nationally coordinated convergence of rules, that would sign on to willingly.

Sort of like building codes. There is a national framework that is built up with input from all over, but adoptance is by locality and some amendments can be had.

What is it with people striving to create a bigger freaking monster than we already have at the federal level? The beast needs to be starved!

So that folks who might not be up on our constitution can understand what Drew is saying:

The Tenth Amendment is the last part of the Bill of Rights, and is intended to protect state sovereignty as well as (to an extent) individual rights from being usurped by the Federal government.

Amendment X

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

Translated, this means: The states have legal authority over anything not assigned to the federal government or specifically withheld from the states. Whatever powers aren't claimed by the federal or state governments are leftover for the people. US residents (both citizens and other people under US jurisdiction) are also vaguely protected by the Ninth Amendment, which essentially says you have rights beyond those mentioned in the first eight amendments (unfortunately, these have to be negotiated with various government entities).

So with this said, how does the EPA fit into this then?Has the fed not already stated their control over auto's and driving?

Would it not make sense to reduce the cost to tax payers at the state level and make one single driving entity that over sees a standardized driving test based on maximizing the skill for each and every American so that we have safer roads? Would it not also simplify things for the local police by having a single set of standard driving laws to enforce?

Then as an ID card, this would allow a faster entrance into the country by having a single standard ID that can be quickly scanned and verified.

Than a standardize safety inspection to make sure lights work, safety settings, etc.

I see the concern for another inefficient agency, but then would it not be better to have one agency to deal with nation wide rather than mulitple agencies across the country?

Yes, the EPA's and NHTSAs of the world..........

Problem is they tie state funding to complying with these bastard fed agencies.

[Drew Dowdell]

There are some things that need to be national and some things that do not need to be. Emissions standards and crash standards for new vehicles should be national, Safety inspections should be state level.

The biggest thing that should be national are gasoline blend standards. There is no way we need 500 different blends for this country. There is no reason MD, DE, PA, VA, NJ each need their own 10 different blends of fuel.

[loki]

no safety inspections here in IL. $100 per year for plates.

In MO, you can get 1or 2 year plates but there is an inspection done (at a shop of your choice) every time you renew. no emmisions tests.

working lights should be a basic test to pass or fail a car meant for driving to be licensed.

[FAPTurbo]

Why not take it a step further and make it a continental initiative? It would save a lot of confusion if all of North America adhered to the same automotive/emission standards, fuel blends and licensing programs.

Mexico would likely be left out, but commuting between the US and Canada would become far easier if both countries' residents had licenses/ID that let them cross borders. Also, many Americans would like to travel to Canada but can't because they have no passport. This would eliminate one barrier.

[Drew Dowdell]

The Americans who don't have passports.... the canadians probably don't want 'em anyway

[balthazar]

good to see the time-honored practice of contemptuous & generalizing prejudging is alive & well.

[G. David Felt]

Yea, but why bother with a passport when they could just do a single ID that is good for driving and going over the border.

[Robert Hall]

The Americans who don't have passports.... the canadians probably don't want 'em anyway

Most Americans are too lazy to get a passport.

[G. David Felt]

I wonder how long before uncle sam says it is a required part and all Americans are just issued passports forcing everyone to be registered.

[Robert Hall]

I wonder how long before uncle sam says it is a required part and all Americans are just issued passports forcing everyone to be registered.

All resources should have a standard national id card identifying them and their citizenship, IMO. Would be very useful.

[Drew Dowdell]

I wonder how long before uncle sam says it is a required part and all Americans are just issued passports forcing everyone to be registered.

All resources should have a standard national id card identifying them and their citizenship, IMO. Would be very useful.

We actually already have such a thing. You can get a mini-passport that looks like a driver's license, but you have to get your full passport also.

[SAmadei]

I've seen cars in Florida with no hood, some with missing doors, I've seen what was once a police cruiser Crown Vic driving down the highway without a single external light installed.

A hood ("engine cover") is required in NJ... but why are door needed? Jeeps don't have doors. Stepvans and some garbage trucks are designed to drive with the doors tucked/folded out of the way. As for lights, during the day, you don't need them... (older cars didn't have a full array of lighting) just make sure to use your hand signals.

Vehicle non-compliance are something for the police to enforce. In the three years since NJ did away with inspections, I don't see any more rolling wrecks than before.

Not that inspection stops people... tinted windows and blacked out lighting are not legal in NJ... yet I used to see hundreds of cars blacked out with fresh inspection stickers. If you have a connection taking a big enough bribe, you had a sticker back then. Glad to see the system gone.

[G. David Felt]

Sadly even bike riders do not seem to know what hand signals to use to change lanes, they just stick out a finger on the right or left. Lazy drivers they are. Even a car with working turn signals seems to be too much work for some to use to indicate what direction they are going. We really have gotten to a level of lazy drivers. These are the type of people who need self driven cars.

[Lamar]

Sadly even bike riders do not seem to know what hand signals to use to change lanes, they just stick out a finger on the right or left. Lazy drivers they are. Even a car with working turn signals seems to be too much work for some to use to indicate what direction they are going. We really have gotten to a level of lazy drivers. These are the type of people who need self driven cars.

... or bus passes or walking shoes.

[G. David Felt]

Sadly even bike riders do not seem to know what hand signals to use to change lanes, they just stick out a finger on the right or left. Lazy drivers they are. Even a car with working turn signals seems to be too much work for some to use to indicate what direction they are going. We really have gotten to a level of lazy drivers. These are the type of people who need self driven cars.

... or bus passes or walking shoes.

Anything other than letting them on the streets where they muck things up and cause problems.