Michigan license undergoes face-lift

For the first time in over 30 years, the state of Michigan is changing the format of its driver's license.

The new license replaces an outdated document which was last altered in 1965 when the driver's photograph was added.

Julie Pierce, spokesperson for the Secretary of State's office, said the change was motivated by a desire to incorporate several technological advances, which will put the new identification on the forefront of identification technology.

Created by the Polaroid Corporation, the license features state-of-the-art security innovations to deter counterfeiting.

This includes a copy of the state seal visible only under black light, and a hologram image, imprinted on the laminate, of the state's outline with the word MICHIGAN across it.

Students agreed the current license lends itself easily to tampering.

An LSA sophomore, who asked that his name be withheld, said he successfully doctored his license by cutting through the laminate and replacing the last number in the year of his birthday so he appeared to be of legal drinking age.

"I'm amazed that it actually works, but I guess the overall quality of the license is so poor that nobody notices it's been tampered with," he said.

Other students said the state lags behind when it comes to drivers' licenses.

"Whenever I'm out of state, people think my real license is fake," said Brian Grabowski, an LSA senior.

"So I'm sure a high-quality fake would be effective, if not in Michigan then certainly anywhere else," Grabowski added.

It was to address these issues that the new license was created, Pierce said.

Added security is not the only improvement which technology brings to the new license. A magnetic strip and bar code on the back of the license will contain information on the license holder.

"We're looking towards card readers which will allow people to swipe their licenses through rather than filling out forms when doing business with the state," Pierce said.

A state law restricts the amount of information which can be stored on a magnetic strip or bar code.

Only the licensee's strip will only contain the holder's license number, license expiration date and the driver's date of birth.

Information such as the driver's criminal record will not be accessible through the licensee's magnetic strip.

"Although it was not the primary reason for the improvements, we thought it was important to offer a more attractive license," Pierce said.

The new license will be wallet-sized and Polaroid's involvement will improve the quality of the driver's picture, Pierce added.

LSA senior Jeff Link said he welcomed the license improvements, complaining that the present license "looks like it was laminated in a high school library."

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