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Graded Drivers' Licenses

We need graded drivers' licenses in this country. The present level of training provided for those getting a drivers' license is barely sufficient and I feel it really needs to be changed. How confident were you of your ability to control a car when you were first handed your drivers' license?

It has been proven time and again that a person will not drive their car at a rate any faster then they feel it is safe to go under the current conditions. How long will we continue to treat people like criminals for driving at speeds over the posted limit when they feel, and are, perfectly safe driving at such speeds? Judging safe speeds should be a standard part of the most basic driver training.

Here is what I propose: The licenses that people currently have should be good for only a certain level of speed, say the current posted limit. For the purpose of discussion we will call these current licenses "C" permits. If you would like to go through more driver training you may be able to obtain a higher "B" or "A" rating. Of course upgrading to such a licenses would need to be accompanied by more time behind the wheel and a very intensive study and testing program. Two years between each level sounds fair to me.

                  Individuals with a "B" permit would be allowed to go up to 85 MPH on the freeways or highways. An "A" permit would allow you to go up to 155 MPH on highways and as fast as you want to go on freeways. The "A" permits would also need to be accompanied by some sort of annual physical to ensure that you still have good enough reflexes to cope with traveling at such high speeds. Kind of like the physical pilots go through each year. This licenses should be difficult to obtain and relatively easy to take away. After all any person with such a license would be in control of a 120 plus MPH projectile.

Each person’s licenses would contain an electronic code that would tell the car you are in what level of skill you have obtained. You would get into your car, put you licenses into a slot in the dash and away you go. No more silly keys to cut. At the front and rear of the car a small symbol would light according to your level of skill A, B, or C in order to keep the local law enforcement appraised to your license level. If you were found to be exceeding your personal limit on a regular basis you licenses could be coded to tell your car not to exceed a certain speed, say 45 MPH as a punishment. I feel this would be much more effective than the current ticket and a fine method. This would also ensure that the rich brat down the street doesn't plow the Corvette daddy just bought him for his sixteenth birthday into your living room at 150 MPH. An added benefit to our society as a whole would be to eliminate all the time police spend in court and all the money we spend keeping the traffic courts alive. The officer that pulls you over could simply down grade your licenses on the spot and you would be on your way, abet at a slower governed speed. Fast, simple, with no monetary penalty. We all know how ineffective the fines are. You slow down for about five minutes after you get the ticket and then you are right back up to your previous speed.

The majority of people in our country have forgotten that our freeways were designed for speeds up to 75 MPH back when cars had drum brakes, bias-ply tires, and no seat belts or at best a lap belt. Modern cars are commonly equipped with at least front disc/rear drum brake system, radial tires rated for constant travel at 120 MPH, and lap and shoulder belts. After all even a lowly Ford Escort is quite safe at speeds over 100 MPH if driven by a properly trained individual.