While I'm all for punishing bad drivers, I fail to see where this will actually solve anything. The drivers who are most commonly "bad" tend to be from low-income backgrounds. Does the General Assembly intend to write an exception for "poor" bad drivers? If so, how does allowing these people to bypass punishment help anything?
If, on the other hand, we enforce this program with 100% efficiency, we stand a chance of pushing drivers into driving without a license. With THAT problem as bad as it is over on the Eastern Shore, do we REALLY need to make it worse?
How about instead of punishing people for getting tickets, WE PROPERLY TEST AND TRAIN THEM BEFORE ISSUING A LICENSE???? Would that not be the more "fair" solution to our "bad driver" problem (since we're too cowardly to arrest and deport the illegals that acerbate the problem)?
Of course, with the Commonwealth finishing the budget year YET AGAIN with a billion-plus dollar surplus, do we REALLY need to raise ANY taxes OR fees at ALL?!
"Does the General Assembly intend to write an exception for "poor" bad drivers?"
I think the idea is to target those who can better afford it. If you have money, you can always count on the government to figure out a way to steal it from you.
OUCH - your comments about the Eastern Shore sure hurt........primarily because they are so true.
As a smoker, and someone with a clean driving record, I actually have no problem with the idea of hefty fines on people with 8+ points on their license (how the original legislation was drafted) helping out to balance the budget. Smokers are as a rule law abiding folks, yet we were nailed 2 years ago to balance the budget, so I have no problem with someone else footing the bill this time around. (/sarcastic selfish mode)