i'm not up on driver licensing stuff, but as far as i know many states in the US (Texas and Oregon) have been making it EASIER to get a license b/c they don't have the funds to give the tests...

In Texas i was applauled a few years back when i found out (from a friend's daughter) that you no longer had to take a driver's test to get your license. If you took driver's education classes and passed the written test, you got your license at 16 without any behind-the-wheel driving test! I know when i was 15 and took driver's ed the only reason i listened to the 'old boring' instructor was because i knew i had to pass the test to get my license... and anyone who pays the money passes driver's ed... because the already paid the money and they don't want a wrap as a 'hard program' b/c they'll lose business to other programs

as far as i know, many of these states have tried to limit yound drivers to not driving late at night and some have made it illegal to have more than 2 youths in the car at a time... but i have not heard of the license being more difficult to get, but rather, EASIER to get. (for the record, Texas was already super-easy to earn a license in back in 1986 when i got mine)

does anyone know a person who failed to earn a license in the US? (other than someone with a physical or mental handicap) i don't and i also know plenty of people who POSITIVELY should not have their licenses like my grandmother (nice woman) but she cannot control her vehicle and often forgets where she is and has to stop in the middle of the road for a while to think about it (not joking) --- she now has a permenant live-in nurse b/c she can't take care of herself, but she's still allowed by the government to drive