You may be embarrassed of your goofy driver’s license photo, but that card is the most important thing in your wallet. Here’s why:
The first and most important purpose of your driver’s license is to notify law enforcement personnel that you have obtained your driver’s license in the state in which you reside and are legally allowed to operate a motor vehicle. If you are pulled over by a police officer or state trooper, the first thing that he or she will ask for is your driver’s license. Without it, you have no right to operate a vehicle on public roadways.
Driving without a license is a serious offense in every state
You may be required to prove that you are who you say you are for a variety of reasons: writing a check, opening an account, using a debt or credit card, enrolling in school, applying for government benefits, applying for loans, etc. A current driver’s license is a universally accepted form of personal identification because it displays your contact information and a picture that officials can compare to the person who is presenting it as identification.
If you have a wreck, are badly injured, and cannot communicate with first responders, they will search your wallet for your driver’s license to identify who you are. A name and address will help them locate and contact family members to inform of your injuries. Hospital staff can use the information on your driver’s license to begin the admission process.
Your driver’s license contains the official answer to this question. If you pass away unexpectedly, doctors will know if your organs can be harvested for transplants by looking for the universal organ donor symbol displayed on your driver’s license.
If you lose your purse or wallet, a Good Samaritan can determine the owner’s name and address by looking at the driver’s license that almost everyone stores in their wallet.
Driver’s licenses aren’t just for drivers of cars. This card will also serve as your vessel license, motorcycle license, and CDL license.
Make sure you update your identifying information each time you renew your license. You don’t want people to be looking out for a five feet seven inches tall female weighing one hundred and forty pounds with blond hair when, in reality, you weigh one hundred and seventy pounds, have brown hair and are only five feet seven inches tall when you wear three inch heels!
Better have your license ready! Cashiers and clerks are trained to accept only official and current driver’s licenses as proof of age and identification when patrons purchase these age restricted substances. Some states issue licenses aligned vertically for individuals under twenty-one years of age and horizontally for those over twenty-one.
If you look a day younger than forty, you will need to have your driver’s license ready. Forget the fake I.D. Bouncers have seen it all. Only an official license proving that you are older than the minimum age will get you in the door.
If you are traveling within the United States, most airlines require you to display your driver’s license with your boarding pass before you board a plane.
Also pay attention to the expiration date on your driver’s license. Hopefully, this list has convinced you that your driver’s license is the most important item in your wallet. Forget about that coupon for a free pizza or crumpled dollar bill, your driver’s license is your wallet’s most important content!
