Driving Contradiction

You picked a great topic, Vanessa! Having been a victim of a hit and run accident myself I completely agree with you that the state of Texas needs to take action to fight this huge problem. You make a good point when you say that by allowing undocumented people to receive a driver’s permit they would then be able to purchase insurance which could prevent a lot of hit and runs in the future. The idea in itself might work out in theory, but realistically speaking HB 3206 would really be against the law. 

First of all, illegal immigrants are “illegal” so they shouldn’t even be in this country in the first place.  Why is it against the law for immigrants to live here without any papers but at the same time it is ok for them to be literally rewarded with a driver’s license? This just does not make any sense whatsoever!  

Furthermore, the price is an issue, too. The driver’s permit costs $150. Undocumented people obviously do not have a visa or a work permit so most of the time they have to settle on underpaid jobs with which they can barely make ends meet. If they can’t even afford their rent or food for their entire family, how are they going to afford a $150 driver’s permit let alone insurance? In all honesty, they are still going to keep driving without a license and without insurance which will not take care of the hit and run issue.

It is apparent that something needs to be done to prevent hit and run accidents from happening which are mainly caused by undocumented drivers. However, giving them a driver’s license won’t solve the problem. I really think that the state of Texas and the federal government should focus more on tightening its borders as well as on preventing immigrants to enter the country illegally. I agree with Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo who noted that the HB 3206 proposal is “primarily an immigration situation” which needs to be taken care of on the immigration level.