Most everyone has his or her own story about a trip to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, but imagine a recurring nightmare -- six years of trouble that's cost you your license three times.
NewsCenter 5's Sean Kelly reported Tuesday that Michael A. Smith can legally drive with his son today. But, for six years, he's been repeatedly aggravated by mistaken identity at the registry. Since 2000, his license has been suspended or revoked three times.
"Over and over again, it's getting very upsetting, very upsetting," Michael A. Smith said.
Michael Allen Smith of Gloucester has a few speeding tickets. He also has the same first and last name, middle initial and date of birth as Michael Aaron Smith of Michigan -- a convicted felon whose crimes include reckless driving, driving without a license or insurance and vehicular homicide.
Offenses keep appearing on Michael Allen Smith's driving record.
"Every time it happens, I end up having to prove myself at the registry," Michael A. Smith said.
His insurance rate gets hiked by thousands of dollars when it happens. Last month, the registry reinstated and then revoked his license the same day.
"They told me that I couldn't renew my license because I had 22 driving offenses in Michigan again," Michael A. Smith said.
Every time he must get a letter from the Michigan registrar confirming he's not the felon Michael Aaron Smith with armed robbery and drunken driving convictions.
"What happens to the clearance letters I give to them? They take all this information at the RMV, and I'm just wondering what do they use all this information for?" Michael A. Smith said.
State registrars can revoke license based on information received through the National Driver Register. It's a database of driving records from across the United States.
The NDR verifies a person's driving record nationwide, so that one state doesn't give a license to someone whose right to drive was suspended or revoked in another state.
But how does a white man in Gloucester get matched to a black man in Michigan? The NDR cross matches elements of a person's first and last names, middle initial and their date of birth. It doesn't match Social Security numbers, full middle names or address. It's up to states to do that, but that doesn't happen in Massachusetts.
"I don't even know what else to say," Michael A. Smith said.
The Massachusetts registry refused multiple requests made my Team 5 to explain why they haven't fixed the problem. They called the mistaken identity a '"rare phenomenon," but after NewsCenter started asking questions, the registry said they are exploring additional identifiers to cut down on how many times this happens.
Posted by: SOT
This is really a time where someone shoud sue the RMV. They get no penalty for being screw ups.
Posted by: RPD931
I'd put in for a legal name change. Much better to change your name rather than be thrown into a cell next to big bubba due to "mistaken identity".
SOT II, you are so correct! The RMV needs to be held accountable for better record keeping/data entry.
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