From a view overseas it does seem strange how the US driving licence has become adulterated into a pseudo-ID card scheme instead of anything to do with being good enough to drive a vehicle on the public roads.

All this stuff about having social security numbers; what does that have to do with driving ability.

Meanwhile the actual examination for driving standard seems extremely lax compared to here in the UK. I have been with a couple of recent "student drivers" in the US who No Way would have passed the test in Britain (where the pass rate is about 50%, it is very common for people to need two or three goes at it before they are judged good enough).