New York defensive drivers understand the real difference between actually having the skills to drive and just pretending. Unfortunately, not everyone does. This week, a New York couple running a driving school had their operating license taken away.

The governor announced the revocation of N&Y Professional Service Line driving school’s license today after the couple who ran the program was charged with mail fraud. In statement to the media he said: “We vowed last year that New York would not tolerate unsafe buses, dangerous or unqualified drivers, or fraud in obtaining licenses…That’s why this action is being taken.”

True to his word, this past year the governor ordered 6,600 inspections from March 2011 to January 2012. Those inspections found fault with 621 buses and 644 drivers, likely increasingly the safety for anyone who was relying on their services for transportation.

As a result of the revocation of the license for the commercial driving school, the New York Department of Motor Vehicles is insisting that all those who used N&Y Professional Service Line to obtain a commercial license must reschedule a test by this Friday or face suspension of their driving privileges. This will doubt prove an inconvenience for some legitimate drivers, but is the only way to know for certain that everyone who obtained a license through that school did so because they have the proper skills and knowledge and not because they [aid the highest fee and receive illegal help passing the test.

There is no substitute for knowledge, especially when it comes to the knowledge you need to safely operate a commercial or private vehicle on the roads today. By circumventing the law, these fraudulent drivers are not only risk their own lives they are risking the life of anyone who shares the road with them.

Image: Damian Brandon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net