The Drive mechanic in Gumshoe as it stands is a bit finickity: because it’s more of a stick than a carrot, I don’t find it comes up much. Personally, I find the problems it intends to address, are better addressed by player to player discussion about the social contract of the game, and playing in good faith.

One option is just to remove the punitive implementation of drives and reinforce to players that they get a small refresh if they embody their drive. Here is an alternative for games using Pushes.

When the player role plays their drive in a way that shows the group how their character is motivated by their drive, and the resulting action causes the player or group to have more trouble to deal with, they get a push to spend in the future.

Players start the game with two pushes so that players can learn the value of a push, but they do not refresh at the start of a new scenario. The only way to get new ones is by embodying your drive.