Politech mailing list archives
Carnegie Mellon study on drivers licenses and REAL ID Act [priv]
From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>
Date: Tue, 09 Aug 2005 17:16:20 -0700
Previous Politech message: http://www.politechbot.com/2005/08/09/ways-to-fight/ -------- Original Message --------Subject: Re: [Politech] Ways to fight the REAL ID Act at the state level: some suggestions [priv]
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2005 19:59:46 -0400 From: Serge Egelman <egelman () cs cmu edu> To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com> References: <42F92683.5060208 () well com> We just completed a study at CMU on driver licensing standards and identification documents. To comply with the REAL ID Act, no state has toactually change what is printed on the license (all state licenses have a name, birth date, unique number, signature, machine readable field, etc.). The only thing that changes is the policy with regard to granting the cards (under the
REAL ID Act, root document are to be "verified" and stored in a shared database). This is where the significant costs come in to play.Some states are already saving copies of root documents (I just transferred my VA license to a PA one and watched as they made copies of my previous license, passport, and social security card). So to comply with the law, a state that already collects copies of these documents (many do) wouldn't necessarily need to reissue licenses to all of its citizens (I honestly don't remember if they
made copies of my documents when I first got a VA license).Don't get me wrong, I don't like the law either, but for different reasons. Our study should be in the next issue of I/S (http://www.is-journal.org). As a side
note, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, as of 2001 (the last official study), only 70% of Virginia residents were licensed drivers. Thanks, serge -- /* Serge Egelman "Sobriety diminishes, discriminates and says no, while drunkenness expands, unites and says yes!" -Henry James */ _______________________________________________ Politech mailing list Archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/)
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- Carnegie Mellon study on drivers licenses and REAL ID Act [priv] Declan McCullagh (Aug 09)