Licensing All Drivers in North Carolina – A Policy that Supports Public Safety and Boosts the Economy

For years, North Carolina has been at the forefront of adopting measures that improve safety on the roads, from graduated driver’s licenses for first-time drivers to texting bans to strict requirements on the transportation of children. But one simple measure has been ignored: ensuring all drivers have a driver’s license, regardless of their immigration status.

Doing so can improve public safety while giving an economic boost to workers and employers. A growing number of states—12 as of 2013— have adopted this straightforward policy, finding that there is minimal or no additional cost to the state and benefits that include a more inclusive economy and society. While North Carolina policymakers considered legislation in 2013 that would have provided a driver’s privilege to some unauthorized immigrants, it was coupled with enforcement procedures that would have minimized the benefits. Lawmakers should go back to the drawing board and come up with a more workable plan, since there is a growing need to license all drivers in the state in order to keep up with trends in immigration and our economy.