Should the old driver's license be destroyed?
4 Answers
When renewing the license, the old one must be submitted to obtain the new one. The process for renewing a new license: To renew the new version of the driver's license, citizens should bring two copies of their ID card, two 1-inch color passport photos, the original ID card, the original driver's license, and a medical examination certificate from a county-level or above hospital (free medical examinations are also available at the vehicle management office) to the vehicle management office. After filling out the "Motor Vehicle Driver's License Application Form," the license can be renewed for free. Definition of a driver's license: The full name of the driver's license is the motor vehicle driver's license, also known as a driving license. It is a required legal document for motor vehicle drivers. Driving a motor vehicle requires certain driving skills. Without these skills, driving a motor vehicle recklessly may lead to traffic accidents. Generally, individuals cannot drive on the road without a license. However, for those who have mastered safe driving skills, the document that permits them to drive on the road is the driver's license.
As a veteran driver with over 20 years of experience, I strongly recommend that old driver's licenses must be destroyed. The license contains your ID number, home address, and photo - it's too dangerous to simply throw away. Last time in our neighborhood, someone sold old books with their expired license tucked inside, and criminals used it to apply for loans. Every time I get a new license, I use scissors to cut the photo in half vertically and shred the barcode area into confetti. But now with digital licenses becoming widespread, it's actually safer to scan and archive them before shredding the physical copy.
From an information security perspective, an old driver's license is a ticking time bomb. Did you know? On the black market, a complete driver's license can fetch hundreds of yuan. Scammers can use it to register for ride-hailing services, open mobile phone cards, or even apply for online loans. Last year, my colleague failed to destroy his old license, and someone used his information to register three car-sharing accounts, resulting in over 5,000 yuan in traffic fines. It's recommended to damage at least three areas when disposing of it: the barcode of the license number in the top right corner of the main page, the anti-counterfeiting QR code on the secondary page, and the chip area under the laminated layer. A few hammer strikes are the safest bet.
I just finished dealing with my old driver's license. To be honest, I'm a bit reluctant to part with it—that faded little card accompanied me on my journey along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. But my husband reminded me that fraud is rampant these days, so we compromised: I used a marker to black out all the numbers and QR codes, kept only my surname, and then cut out the plastic film with my photo to use as a bookmark. The rest was shredded. This way, I preserved the memory while avoiding information leaks. Even my best friend said I was clever.
