Barring Illegals from Driver’s Licenses: Dangerous and Dumb

Regardless of how one feels about immigration policy in the U.S., allowing immigrants to obtain a driver’s license is clearly beneficial for society as a whole. Insurance News recently highlighted a usually unseen business product that highlights why letting illegal aliens operate within the laws of the U.S. is better than closing our eyes and pretending that making it illegal for illegals to drive will stop them from taking to the roadways.

Three states in the nation still allow residents to obtain driver’s licensing without providing proof of citizenship, though there is a movement to change that. However, few states explicitly require insurance companies to ask for proof of citizenship in order to write policies. Presumably, one reason lawmakers have not yet attempted to require proof of citizenship is because they recognize the benefit of having a greater number of insured drivers on the roads. The reality of the situation is summed up nicely by John Rost, founder and president of Fiesta Auto Insurance Co:

“People would like to believe that an undocumented individual wouldn’t buy a car, or if they had a car and didn’t have a driver’s license, they wouldn’t drive to work,” Rost said. “That’s clearly not the case.”

Yet, most states prevent illegals from obtaining licenses. Does this stop them from driving? No. It only makes it more likely that they will not understand the traffic laws and will be more likely to cause an accident.

At least, when uneducated driver (not necessarily through any fault of their own), they might have insurance.