Tennessee should continue driving certificate program

There’s no question that Tennessee’s experimental driving certificate program was being abused. Since it was created in 2004, 51,000 certificates have been issued, and some level of abuse probably was inevitable.

The state Department of Safety had good reason to suspend the program last February. News reports had revealed the issuance of a number of driving certificates to illegal immigrants without Tennessee addresses, suggesting the certificates may have been used for purposes other than driving.

Now the question is whether to give up on the program, which was essentially invented in Tennessee, or patch it up. It’s not an easy decision, but the case for a driving certificate remains strong.

It is still preferable for drivers who take to the road in Tennessee to learn the state’s driving regulations and be able to demonstrate to an examiner that they can follow rules and drive safely.

The opportunity to make serious money led to the abuse of the driving certificate program by out-of-state applicants and their go-betweens who struck at license offices in Knoxville and Middle Tennessee.

In some cases, changing the law can solve the problem. More often, it’s better to enforce the one on the books.

For reasons related to homeland security, driving certificates should not be used as IDs for boarding passenger flights and the like. They shouldn’t be issued to someone who’s not who he says he is.

The state has a responsibility to limit the issuance of certificates to Tennessee residents. Certificates should be issued to applicants who have been thoroughly screened by properly trained employees of the Department of Safety who understand the importance of the task.

But to give up on an initiative that enhances public safety would be premature.