January 19, 2006
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Driving Age
When I first started to drive, I was only 16 years old. I was out speeding and driving crazy. I had friends riding in the back of my truck while I was driving 85-90 mph. I think now that I was way too young and immature to be driving. Now my oldest is 12 and he is only 4 years away from being able to drive. It just appears to me that a 16 year old does not have the maturity to drive a vehicle.
I can understand the thinking that it is good for the young people to get some driving experience while living at home.
Should the legal driving age be raised to 18 years old?
Comments (218)
No.
Whoa… I wanted first so much I didn’t put a profile pic…
No
yup until my kids are 18 then it can go up each year- causing them tons of frustration
no
Other changes in regulation onsaid drivers, perhaps
That’s a hard one. Having a daughter that will be sixteen at the end of the month, I have mixed feeling. I think it will help out a lot when she starts driving, but I’M not ready for her to yet!
Didn’t explain myself… It shouldn’t be changed because I am only… 2 years and maybe a month or two until driving. It’s a kids dream, and it shouldn’t be prolonged.
No…but more driving supervision would be good. It would certainly help save lives.
No. I can’t wait any longer to drive-I’m fourteen.
no it should be 13 years old
peace max
NOOOO…im gonna be 14 next week…and im like really mature…mature enough to drive…and i know where to play, and where not to…and anyways…we wait for SO long to drive
~ZAcH
It would save lives, but also cause a teen revolution. Revolution… we need more of those.
13th!!! unlucky???
I think it should depend on the person and how mature they are.
I dont think it should be under 16 though. Maybe 17 is good.
:]
Nahh…most teens are capable of handling the responsibility of driving.
Maybe, but only because I’m terrified at the prospect of letting my kids drive.
Sure why not. I’m 21 and it won’t affect me so it would suck for the young’ns….. hahaha……..
but seriously, most 16 yr kids these days are really immature………. so it would be a great idea to raise the legal drving age to 18.
California has done a couple of things right on this topic. Starting in 2006 when you get a license at age 16 you can’t have other teens or younger in the car with you unless there is an adult present for a full year. Gives the kids a little more time to learn to pay attention to what is going on around them. My daughter hates it but it is for her and other kids own good. So, no I don’t think it should be raised.
Tim
What’s up? I can’t “back” out of your page.
I”m 15, and my parents are trying to get me to get my learners since I turn 16 in a month or two.
And I refuse.
I don’t even think I’m mature enough.
NONONONONO. cause that might suck. cause i dont know whan i want to get my license.
I think so.
yes. although i am 18, i will openly admit that i was never ready to drive at 16. im still not comfortable with it. i drive because i need transportation, and thats about it.
ryc: oh yeah thanks for the comment on my site………. cuz I can understand u can’t leave eprops to everyone who comes here.
no. teenagers naturally want to be with their friends. if we take away their driving privileges, their parents would still have to drive them everywhere until they are 18. its almost crazy.
_chris_
no. i want to be able to drive. maybe you were immature when driving…it does’t mean the rest of us are. driving is my ticket to freedom. i need that liscence.
no i don’t think it should be. people should just teach them better and show them the consequences of driving too fast… punishments and catastrophic events…
No way.
I think it should be limited to that age more than it is… but they need to get some experience some time. If you bump it up to 18, then we’d just have an older crowd of inexperienced drivers.
But while we’re on this topic, I think there should be a manditory age that you LOSE your license. I can’t tell you how many old people have nearly killed me because they see Stop signs that aren’t really there, and don’t see the ones that are there!
no, some kids are actually really responsible drivers (not all) and it really is a necessity parents can’t drive their kids around everywhere…of course there are irresponsible drivers but i think thats also up to the parents to know whether their child is ready for that type of responsibility
No. I taught my daughter to drive at 13 in my suburban. At 16 she was infinitely qualified.
I think it depends on the kid. Ya know how there’s a simulation for cops where they have to be able to know who to shoot: pedestrian or gunman. Maybe there should be a simulator for the teens so that the instructor knows if the kid is mature enough to handle a moving vehicle…
Nope
17 sounds good… gives them a year while they are still at home in high school to be supervised by parents…
or maybe starting senior year of high school… or the summer before senior year sounds good too… oh, this may even help keep kids in school…
I’m fifteen. I’m getting my permit soon, after I review more. I am more cautious while driving than my family. Compared to most teens, I am an excellent driving. Most likely, the age limit should be raised, sadly.
no way!!!
ryc: DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD-DAN-UNIT
if they raised it to 18 tommarow then i would still drive.
im turning 16 next month and in the process of getting my license sort of…(taking drivers ed soon then getting them) but i do look at all the people in my grade getting theirs and it really does seem too soon.
i did hear though from some people that if you were born in 1991 or after, that you cant get your license until you’re 17. im not sure of it but its what i heard.
Interesting… I just posted about drivers today. As I wrote about, there are plenty of horrible habits that drivers have today, particularly with cell phones. That’s dangerous with experienced drivers! Adding in the immaturity and inexperience of teen drivers, it can be frightening. I would say that a two-year permit period from 16 – 18 would be beneficial.
no. Mostly because Then I oculdn’t drive to college when i get older. I’ll be 17 when i head off to college, because I’m born late in the year. In addition, it’s a huge hassle for parents to cart their kid around for 2 more years. It should be up to the parents to know if the child is mature and responsible enough. Granted,parents don’t know everything about their child, but still.
Aren’t you being stereotypical? Not all 16-year-olds drive like crazy.
I just got my lisence, and I try not to drive too awfully. And I almost need my lisence now- it’s not like we have public transportation to take us places.
I think that it is important that parents first make sure their child is mature and smart enough to drive, knows everything in Driver’s Ed, and has had enough supervision while driving. Texas has a law where for the first 6 months after one gets their license, only one non-family member can be in the car. That’s fine, gives me a chance to focus more on the road.
yes. athough teens may complain, there would be fewer accidents along with fewer deaths
just a thought.
selina
I don’t think so. Some sixteen-year-olds might not be the most mature people ever, but there are probably a few that are not completely irresponsible.
I cannot speak for myself, however. I do not look forward to driving just yet. Maybe a few years later, I will realize what a lovely thing it really is.
But as of now, it does not interest me at all.
Is that odd? What I mean is, all my peers are simply dying to get behind the wheel and boast on the road. But I just don’t ache to drive.
=/ Perhaps it’s just me. I don’t know.
-Etchy
Maybe. It really depends on who the person is.
NO!
no…but i like the night time restrictions we have here…
I think 16 is a good age. What I love about being a parent at this time is that.. it can be used a dicipline tool. If grades aren’t up. And if they misbehave…I take the keys away! Wah haaaaaa~~~
Christina
I don’t see that it would make much difference. I wonder how many of the people who answered ‘no’ to this question are under 18.
no.
just because teenagers are young and immature, does not mean that they should be refused to mature. besides, we live in a society where you HAVE to have a car. in europe one does not need a car, not even when you’re in your 30′s. public transportation is that good. but here? heck no. and teenagers need a way to get out and be with their friends without having to rely on parents.
no
Sounds good.
I heard a statitic this week that said that teenagers are more likely to have accidents involving fatalities than the ederly (another group of drivers with probs). I had two accidents when I was 18 …. hmmm….
No, I think it’s good
No, I think it’s good
I have mixed feelings. I want to say yes. I had a phobia of driving so it wouldn’t have bothered me. I also know that I wasn’t mature enough for the responsibilty of driving at that age. I didn’t get the idea that i was taking my life and the lives of others in my hands. I remember how badly my friends drove and we thought that it was funny.
On the other hand, I do not want to have to drive my kids to work and other things when I have kids and they get old enough to drive places. I especially wouldn’t want to have to car pool a bunch of teenagers anywhere. Doing it for younger kids is bad enough.
Erika
no no no
I’d rather it stayed at 16. Most kids (not all, of course) are pretty responsible. Hopefully I will, and I won’t be getting it till I’m a junior or senior. And it’s been this age for a long time. Besides, 4 years is a long time. I know I was TOTALLY different than I am now when I was 12. Really, your maturity level rises alot during those years. At least it did for me haha.
Hmm, I’m young, but I think it should be raised to 17.
=D
That seems in the middle.
I got my driver’s permit at 14 (in KS) and my liscence at 15 (in LA). I think it was good that I had that time driving with my father. The four years I was with him allowed me to become a much better driver than I would have otherwise been….I could understand only permitting a dirver’s permit until 17. Howver, since the age of emancipation is 16 (at least in LA), it shoul be 16; so shoudl voting, legal alcohol consumption, smoking, etc.
Maybe it should just be raised to 18 for guys? HA! I’d like to see what would happen if they passed THAT law. The insurance companies seem to think its the guys who are the biggest risks! But I forget, those in power only pay attention to facts they like!
Nope. I just think that driver’s ed should be much longer than 6 hours of road time (Michigan requirements). Yes, you are supposed to drive with your parents for a minimum of hours, but some parents just don’t do it.
both me n my brother started driving around 8 or 9. hes 13 and can drive a big rig. you judge.
plus you have to pound it into ur kids heads not to drive like a jackass.
fo sho
depends on the kid, some kids are still really immature at 16 and shouldn’t be allowed to drive, but some kids can handle the responsibility because they are more mature
it doesn’t matter to me anymore, so sure!
NO!!….35 is better
For safe drivers like me: No.
For others: Yes.
Well, I would say no, but, then again, I’m only 14 and already eager to drive. That takes away some meaning to this seeing my opinion might differ if I was older. I think that we should have stricter tests though. But they are making new things to help avoid accidents. Like safe drivers save more money on car insurence and what not.
if you raise the driving age you’ll just eliminate one of the few methods of natural selection left. no, seriously, my state has a law that allows 14-year-olds who have passed driver’s ed to drive to and from school by themselves. i’ve been driving alone since fourteen. no accidents, no tickets, never even been pulled over. if other kids are too stupid to handle the responsibility, why should the government punish mature kids like myself by raising the age? i get irritated when the government tries to run my life for me, in this and other ways.
Oh yeah!!
Candy
Kids are immature these days. no one thinks anything is their fault. 18 year olds arent much better.
but if i had a child, I would want him/ her to drive so that they can run errands and etc
also, it develops of sense of responsibility and adulthood if they are driving at 16/17.
Side note: Parents shouldnt buy their children cars, esp brand new cars … unless the kids is a straight and narrow, 3.5 gpa holding kid. I think kids should get a lil job and contribute at least $1000 toward getting a car. Then they will want to take care of it and not misuse the privilege of driving … well, i hope.
no. in an ideal system, the priveliges to drive, drink, etc would be given on a case-by-case basis. some kids are mature enough to drive at 13 or 14, some not until 18 or 19 – and some parents make them wait that long, thankfully.
youll know about your kid when its time.
yes, I remember crazy stuff me and my friends did that endangered lives. And I don’t mean just one or two friends…I mean every friend I had. There was talk of upping it to 18 when I was about to get my license and I threw a fit…but looking back now, it was only by the grace of God that I never killed anyone acting a fool. Same for my friends…it should be 18.
no thankyou
I think 16 is probably the best age….as much as I hated it! Perhaps there could be restrictions …like to and from work and school only. I dunno…. all I know is it was absolutely the worst part of my life for raising kids. But the earlier they get that experience the better I think….and then again…it depends on the maturity level of the kids. Maybe the parents would have to sign off on it or something. But some kids have graduated from high school by 17. That would be hard to wait til 18. (and this coming from me…who refuses to this day to ride in the car with a teenager at the wheel)
Most people go to college around the age of 18. Do you really want your kids getting a license and then moving out right after? Two years gives them time to get used to driving on there own and time to get good with directions. It also gives them time to have guidance if they want/need it
I don’t believe it should be changed. It’s like that some places in the world already..and what are they going to do? Take away peoples liscenses who are good enough to drive? You are correct, most do not have the maturity, the test should be harder, but raised to the age of 18… HECK NO TECHNO. hehe sorry.
i agree with you. i’m 17 and i’m scared to drive!!! i only got my permit a few months ago (rite after my b-day) and i’m just not ready to drive, even tho it is a huge inconvienience
definitely not. i will be getting my license in a couple of months.
i’m 16.
Here in New Jersey I believe it was recently decided that anyone with a 92′ birthdate or above will have the permit age upped to 17 and license to 18. But don’t quote me on that; I haven’t looked it up since it doesn’t concern it.
It sparked a discussion in my History class and the general concensus was that the younger you get driving experience, the better adult driver you will be. Keeping kids back one or two years will not decrease accidents (everyone is a green driver at one point) nor guarantee maturity growth.
Here in New Jersey I believe it was recently decided that anyone with a 92′ birthdate or above will have the permit age upped to 17 and license to 18. But don’t quote me on that; I haven’t looked it up since it doesn’t concern me.
It sparked a discussion in my History class and the general concensus was that the younger you get driving experience, the better adult driver you will be. Keeping kids back one or two years will not decrease accidents (everyone is a green driver at one point) nor guarantee maturity growth.
no..how gay would that be
I think the age should be bumped up to 23. What are all these teenagers whining over? “WE got to be with our friends. WE have to drive because…”
It’s not up to you kids, but to the folks responsible for you. I believe, for real, that a kid should start learning to drive at 13. Gives him/her 3 years to practice before he gets his license. Most parents refuse to do this, blaming their nerves. Yeah, the teens aren’t the only ones whining. Parents whine, and then gripe about immaturity in their teens. Well, something needs to be worked out. I was 23 when I learned to drive, and I’m grateful I waited that long, even if it was forced on me. I was not only more mature, but my coordination had matured along with my concentration.
Yup.
I am on the fence with this one, on one hand with today’s mobile society and both parents working, teens need to be able to get places themselves. On the other hand there is a lot of immature drivers out there. Then I am thinking, ok, if we raise the age limit should we place limits on the elderly. They are just as dangerous as teens. My grandmother is 87 and still has her license! That is downright scary!
Now to my question. A 9 year old died yesterday driving a 4-wheeler. How old should children be before they can drive one and should the be required to take some kind of training before doing so?
No. Because even then, 16-17 year olds’re still going to be driving.
I don’t think anyone under 18 should be allowed to drive without a parent or driving instuctor but I don’t think that the priveledge should be completely taken away. Really I think that they should start learning sooner and have supervision longer.
heck no!
So then, more 18-year olds, with comparative inexperience as drivers, would get into accidents.
My friend’s son Caleb had a horrible accident and he ended up dying. He was going way too fast and was only 17…I don’t know that a yr would make a dif.
No matter what the age is, a new driver will be just that… a new driver.. changing the age won’t exactly DO anything.
Statistics show that most accidents are caused by drivers aged 18-24.
Yes, teens have no clue when it comes to driving
In New Jersey, it is 17, yet the permit age is 16. I think 16-17 is acceptable driving age, depnding on the area in which the person would be driving.
I can see both sides. I think it really depends on the teen. Maybe parents should take a hand in deciding whether their kids get a license or not, instead of just automatically taking them just because they’ve turned 16. Some just aren’t ready for the responsibility. I am 22 and I know that I wasn’t ready at 16. I lived in Tennesee and back then you only had to have your permit for like a month before you could get your license, as long as you had turned 16. And THAT is insane.
No!
how would I be able to work, then? It’d be totally sucky for my parents to have to drive me everywhere. Besides, I turn sixteen in just over two months and I’m kind of nervous about it. I don’t think I’ll take that many risks, but you have to learn sometime.
I’m 17 and I’m driving. Personally, it takes a HUGE burden off of my parents because I do alot after school and during the weekend. Between extracurricular activities, the library, friend’s house, and youth groups, my parents would be driven (no pun intended) up the wall if they’d have to drive me!
Pesky
Not really… i think everything that has age limits should be based on how mature a person is.
if one is mature and clear-headed enough to control smoking, then he/she should be allowed to smoke.
same goes for drinking, driving, and i think only literates should be allowed to vote.
Most 16 year olds are too immature to have their liscences. I do not think the age should be raised to 18, but I do think that parents need to take the responsibility to not let their children who demonstrate irresponsibility get their liscences until 18. I got mine the day after I turned 16 but I was myself MUCH more responsible then the average 16 year old.
NO.
no. because then kids are leaving for college when they just get their liscence. 18 year olds are almost as immature as 16 year olds. It’s better to give them 2 years practice before sending them off to a far away place for college with no driving experience.
I don’t think it should be. I’ve been driving since I was 4, though mind you it was only a 3wheeler at that time I’ve still had driving experience at a young age. I’m 17 now and still don’t have my license (working on it.. but not very hard) I still prefer motorcycles/dirtbikes over a car, more fun, a bit more dangerous though, I suppose.
I don’t know about Other States, but if you were born in 92 or Later in Fl., 18 is the legal age for a drivers liscense….. The DD falls under this catagory…. I started driving when I was 14 (not legally of course, but Hey, my Dad was Chief of Police…. in a very small town…..) it was great, & fun of course, but looking back, I’m Sure I Wasn’t mature enough at 14, & not at 16 either for that matter……. If I’d had the Jeep, or the Corvette at those ages, I’d probably be Dead!!! We have thought of selling our Jeep, but most people who have looked at it, say they are going to buy it for their teen…. & we Refuse to sell it if it’s going to be driven by a teen…. Too much power, & way too easy to roll to trust a teen in it. We were in our mid/late 20s when we bought it, & were way too CraZy in it even at that age!!!
I didn’t do anything like that when I started driving… I don’t think everyone does.
I don’t see why it should be raised – how many parents actually start teaching their kids to drive before they can anyhow? I don’t see how they would get any more experience at home.
No. I was mature enough at 16, and waiting until 18 would have been rather unfair.
No, because I personally was ready at sixteen.
No…16 is okay.
NO
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to wait until I was 18, and it didn’t kill me. Another disadvantage to home-schooling. The public may have let me take drivers ed. but we didn’t want to push the issue, and private lessons were too expensive. In South Dakota, they get their learning permits at 14!!
Yes. In some European countries I believe the legal driving age is 21 (or somewhere between 18 and 21). They have seen a great decline in the number of traffic accidents involving young people.
I’m undecided on this topic, whereas driving gives me more freedom, it gives me alot of responsiblity (Driving Siblings, picking up parents from work…) And if I didn’t have a liscence I would have more money.
I’m 16 By The Way
-=Matt
Part of me says yes, but then again I think what makes driving so risky for a new driver is inexperience, not necessarily age. My husband got his driver’s permit as soon as he turned 15 and his parents made him drive EVERYWHERE as practice. He cites that as one of the reasons why he’s gotten in so few wrecks, ever. We both agree that we’d like to make sure our children get as much supervised driving experience as possible before they’re allowed to drive on thyeir own. I also like having ground rules for the first 6-12 months of independent driving, like no friends in the car or no driving past dark.
Also DONT GIVE YOUR TEENAGE SONS SUV’S!!!! The erratic driving style of most young males is exactly the kind that will get your suv flipped over and hurt. Bad idea. Go for msomething heavy and low to the road instead.
yes, for license. at least in my state, you can get a “learners permit” at 15.5 yrs. i think that should stay the same, but the licensing age should be raised. with that said, i’m not 18 and i have a full driver’s…
no way.
heck yes
heck yes
YES….
i did everything i could to keep my knuclehead off the road for as long as possible…
tho my H made a good point…
he could go at 18 and get a license cold … no practice…
with the learners permit thing he would have practice.
but i think they need to start the process at 18..
sorry guys..but esp for boys !
How that I have my liscence, sure! But that could put the strain on some parents once kids start growing up and needing to be more places. Between 16-18, our lives seem to get business, and we really need to be able to get places without worrying about how to get there.
In AZ, the age for driving is 15 1/2. My daughter just turn 15, and she want her own car. lolz
yes, it should be at the very least 17.
I have three teen boys and none of them will be driving till they are 18.
We allowed lerner’s permits at 17.
15 & 9 months is silly in my book.
yes, it should be raised.
15 & 9 months is ridiculous.
As a mom of three teen boys we did/will not allow permits till almost 17 which will put them at about 18 by the time they have a license.
Nope, by 16 kids and parents are usually both going insane by the dropping-off/picking-up system. But kids mature a lot from 16 to 17, so I think that restricted liscences or at least restricted privlages as to passengers and music during that time could be a smart idea.
Definitely not.
We just need better law enforcement officers.
Nicholas
No. It varies from person to person. I’m a very cautious driver, and I’m only fourteen, which is the learning age for my state. I’d say I’m a cautious driver and it shouldn’t be raised because thats condecending…teens are expected to act mature and take on so much responcibility, but when it comes to doing something they want, all of the sudden they aren’t mature enough? I’d say its fine where it is.
Eva.
Yeah, then I wouldn’t feel so bad about not having mine yet… I wouldn’t feel so lazy… hahaha.
There are irresponsible drivers at all ages. In my state you cannnot get a permanent drivers license until you are 18. 16 and 17 year olds have a probationary license which means you have to have a licensed driver with you in the car when the teen is driving. HOWEVER, there is also a hardship clause for 16 and 17 year olds which means that if it is a hardship for your family if you are not allowed to drive alone then you can get permission to drive alone….such as if your family depends on you driving them places such as a parent who can’t drive or is incapacitated and needs you to drive them, etc. Or the teen has a job and the parent can’t drive them to work, etc.
yes! I think they should be able to get learner’s permits at 16 and license at 18. Then they’ll have two years experience driving with a responsible adult before they get their license. I got my permit when I was 16 and I waited until after I was married, pregnant, and there was a threat of my husband going to Iraq before I got my license. I was a pretty responsible 16 year old, but I still don’t think I was mature enough so I’m glad I waited.
no, but the driving test should maybe be more difficult… and parents should use discernment as to the maturity of their child
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think 16 is just fine.. although I’m 17 and still dont’ have my license…
There will always be crazy drivers out there no matter what.
I think so. My son was 17 when he got his license. While he had the skills, he didn’t have the maturity. My daughter got her license at 18 and by then I felt comfortable with her driving.
What really is maturity? Why are people always expecting more from children or kids under age of majority or 18? A child of 14 is not able to refuse treatment because he lacks maturity in understanding the process of death but what about adults, do they really know how they will die if they don’t undergo heart transplant, in technical terms, like how the heart will stop functioning, how the body will decay or degenerate blah blah. Why is the benchmark so much higher for young adolescents?
I disagree with the fact that driving shld be allowed for 18 and over. So long as adolescent has responsibility, if they don’t teach them how, and capacity, they should be allowed to drive. But please don’t hit and kill somebody and run away like Bree Van De Kamp’s son.
No. They should be required to go through a driving school with MORE hours on the road.
Not all kids have parents who will drive them to jobs, etc. Sad but true.
Some kids need a license young. Also- I think it depends on the kid.
((( GRANDMA HUGS )))
Lori
ha
does not matter. i already have my license sooo. whatever. it shouldn’t go down, but i don’t care if it goes up.
i started driving on the roads without parents in the car when i was 8. i never had any problems, but i know people of all ages that can’t drive. i think the biggest problem on the road is that old people forget how. once you get to a certain age, or every certain number of years, you should have to take the written & driving test again.
Not necessarily.
i dont’ think so because, well, in Arkansas, at 14 you can get your driving permit, and… i’m 14.. lol.. but, i think that it depends on the maturity of the individual. the reason i think this is because i am, at least i woulde like to think that i am, very responsible. When i am driving, i am afraid at all times and am always going the minimum speed. So i don’t think that it should be changed, but i think that parents need to consider the maturity of their children before allowing them to drive.
No. It should be lowered.
(No, not because I want to drive earlier, I get my license in two weeks.)
maybe……i was 18 before i got my license……i was way more mature in my driving then i might have been if i was 16…..maybe not 18…..really accidents happen with younger kids…..but it’s gonna happen with lack of experience…..you have to learn somehow….it would really be just pushing it back….it’s gonna happen either way….it’s like when you are young you have to touch the hot stove to learn that it’s hot….i used to think that you shouldn’t have to wait until you’re 21 to drink…..but now i don’t think that i really was capable of handling the drunkedness…..so i think our age regulations are about right…..
What, are you trying to drive us parents INSANE???? No… however, in my state (Oklahoma) they just changed the laws where at 16 you get a “temporary” license or something, you have all these restrictions including having to get so many hours of driving with a licensed adult before you can get the next level of license….I’m thinking there are three different levels and works out to the kid being 17 or 18 before they are truly fully licensed…. I didn’t really understand all the rules when I saw it in the paper, so I’m not sure.. I just remember thinking it is good but bad also… takes forever for them to get it, but might protect them and those around them…
Nope, raising the age to 18 wouldn’t help anything. I know plenty of 18 year olds who act like they’re 12, and plenty of 16 year olds who seem like they’re 30. It’s a question of maturity, not age; one doesn’t necessarily reflect the other.
Maturity is not based on age. I have arrested plenty of people that are above 21 for driving immaturely. The country I am now just passed a law that you have to have a college degree before getting a driver’s license. I think the aptitude test for driving needs to be based on the maturity level of the person not the age. If they are a minor then have the parent give consent and make the parent responsible for the actions of their children.
I definitely think that it should be raised to 18. Most countries in the world have this restriction, and their rate of accident is much lower than in the US. I know that most kids would probably disagree though.
Yes, Most Definitely
No. If youre not mature enough to drive at 16 you werent raised right. Of course, thats the way things are way more than they should be. But no. Educate educate educate. Both the kids and the caregivers.
no. thats ridiculous.
Haha in Illinois they hvae a law preventing that and lets not punish those who are mature enough.
Yes!! I think it. should be 18. I was considered a “good kid” with good grades and I didn’t get into trouble, so you would think I’d have been one of the mature ones, but I remember driving way to fast with loud music going, and friends distracting me. At that age you just aren’t careful enough. Yeah, there may be some teens out there mature enough, but when the AAA puts out a study proving that the majority of fatal car accidents is caused by wreckless teens???? Come on people!!! I can’t believe so many of your readers are saying no.
Haha. I totally agree that 16 year olds are immature. I happen to be one and I agree. Less accidents if it was raised to 18.
don’t they need to drive w/ someone who is older than 25 nowadays? I thought that if you’re under 18 you have a provisional license.. i dunno.. i think i was driving pretty stupidly all the way up through college.. =P
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!
I wasn’t allowed to drive til I was 18, and it was so much harder for me than all my friends who started when they were 16. I had to drive to college 2 hours away terrified… lacking the confidence those 2 years driving would have given me. As much experience as possible is necessary.
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yes. i dunno how it works in the states, but in vancouver we’ve got a system that works in stages. first you get your “L” for learners.. i believe you have to have that for at least 9 months unless you take a government approved course. then you take a road test which if you pass gets you an “N” for novice. you have to have it for a 2 (?) years- it’s practically a full license, but there are certain limitations like zero alcohol level. finally, you have to take another road test (which i’ve heard is rather difficult) to graduate to a full license.
when i first heard about this system i thought it sucked but that’s because i was a teenager.
i think it’s a good idea though… to be out learning with restrictions for a longer time… that way there isn’t as much of an urge to go crazy in the car. my bf says the same thing as you… that when he first got his license he went wild in the car and he’s glad that he didn’t have access to a faster car (he was driving his mom’s saturn at the time 
). sooooo, yes. i think that you should be have to be 18 to get your full license.
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Maybe not raised, but I think there should be an intermediate license to where for 6 months or a year or so they had certain restrictions like hours they couldn’t be out driving (except to/from work/school) and how many under a certain age they could have in the vehicle. I think that would help a good amount.
What would the point be in raising the driving age? New drivers will be crap either way if they start at 16 or 60.
Basing my answers off the Queensland system (Australia), new drivers should be required to log a certain number of hours and have had a fair amount of teaching by qualified driving instructors within a minimum of 6-12 months before being allowed to drive independently. Perhaps the number of passengers should be restricted to a maximum of 2 after that until they obtain their open license as well.
no. if i had to wait till 18 id be miserable. wait…i can alredy drive. not officially but im 13 and drive around. im not that immature tho. u coulda killed sum1. j/k. but im glad i dont drive like you do.(did)
No, but I don’t think that you should just automatically go from being so super restricted to having free reign to drive wherever whenever you want. I think that the first year you have your licence you should only be able to drive with one or two people in the car unless they are relatives. So many teenage accidents are caused by distractions from the backseat. I couldn’t tell you how many times it looked like a clown car going down the street when I was 16. It was really stupid of us.
My eldest daughter is 16 and in driver’s training right now. I heard about them possibly raising the age to 18 to get a license and I breathed a sigh of relief because it would delay the driving age for Emily but it wouldnt’ make me the bad guy! But seriously, some can handle it, many cannot handle it. They say that teen accidents decrease dramatically when they push the driving age to 18 but that is probably because there are less teens out there driving. In CA I believe that 16 year olds drive but have more restrictions (not at night, have to have more hours with an adult, some thing like that). I think that is the compromise answer b/w letting them have licenses at 16 or pushing it back to 18.
In Nebraska they have so many new rules about driving that I think have helped. We used to go out on the country roads and drive as fast as we could…
I don’t think that would be a good idea. However, I think that age shouldn’t even be a factor in getting a license. I mean, the child would have to be able to reach the pedals! But, if we had a test that could show the comprehensive skill of a given peson….shouldn’t we evaluate based on individual development? There are some 14 year olds I know that would handle driving VERY responsibley. There are also some 18 year olds that should not be in the driver’s seat until they’re 30. Age is a silly limiting factor. We should judge based on individual children through a series of STRICT tests that are HARD to pass, unlike the driver’s test which I could’ve passed in my sleep.
oh lord yes!!!! or at least actually make it legal to attend drivers ed no matter what. my fiances sister turned 18 august and started driving. it was horrible! she knew nothing of what she needed to know bc she didnt get drivers ed.
The more pressing question is, Should New Zealand’s Minimum driving age be raised from 15 to 16?
No. In rural areas, we have no public transportation and depend on youngsters to be able to drive themselves to work and school. My teen is very mature and a good driver. I can’t even begin to imagine if I had to take her everywhere. Besides, 18 is when the kids leave home. She is already excited about her new “adult” priveleges and these need to be spaced over a period of several years. Drinking, gambling, voting, driving, college, working, living independently – these aren’t things you throw at a person all at once. I enjoyed teaching her to drive, supervising driver education, and making sure she is safe behind the wheel – while i still could do this. She needed to be driving while living at home, before getting her job, before drinking age. Driving is a learned skill, not a right or even a privelege.
Then again, my youngest will not be driving at age 16 because it’s my right as her mother to tell her “no, you are not ready”.
Yes and I am envious. My pickup was so old that I couldn’t haul my friends in the back at 90 mph. It would only do about 70 and that was downhill. ’53 Chevy 1/2 ton.
Motorcycle age should be 21.
L,r
no
no
I think that once a person can legally drive, they should be considered an adult with all of the rights and responsibilities that go along with it.
You should be able to drive, smoke, drink, gamble, join the military, and vote all beginning at the same time. Age-wise, I would suggest 18, simply because by that time people have usually finished basic education.
Also, I don’t think that you should be able to have any of those rights or responsibilities without passing an aptitude test to make sure you are intelligent and sane enough to handle them.
Driving is a privilege, not a right.
NO
No, you don’t want your kid learning to drive after they’ve already moved away from home. It is better to do when they are there for you to work with them.
i live in new jersey – it is even more crowded than LA during rush hours… but there are also rural sections with unlit roads and plenty of animals… driving here is not for the faint of heart. nor is it for those with little patience… practically speaking, i think the driving age should be 18, when a person is legally responsible for their own actions, and therefore can bear any consequences attendant to those actions. i drove at 17, but was made acutely aware by my parents that if i messed up, they would be held responsible — i was careful, but my sister was not. if she had had to deal with the legal repercussions of her driving mishaps, perhaps she would not have been so reckless.
yes
maybe…but the whole idea of “sweet 16″ would be a little less sweet. and i like sweetness.
maybe…but the whole idea of “sweet 16″ would be a little less sweet. and i like sweetness.
oops…
No, but I think restrictions on when they can be out until they’ve had a year or two of experience would be smart. I think here they have a law that 6 months after you get your license you can’t have other kids in the car with you unless accompanied by a parent. Things like night driving (when all the fun happens) could be restricted to prevent goofing off behind the wheel.
Also, the number of hours of experience I had I didn’t feel was enough when I got my license. I was glad to get it, don’t get me wrong, but I wasn’t comfortable behind the wheel after the state requirement of 30 hours driving time with a parent or driving instructor. They could do something like 30 hours before and 30 hours after you get the liscence. Just a thought.
eh i think 16 is an okay age but i do think the driving classes should be more challenging to pass so the kids will appriciate their licence more. I myself am turning 16 in three days, and I dont even have my drivers permit yet. I’m terrified to drive.
Raising the drinking age from 18 to 21 did practically nothing to lower drunk driving and other drinking-related problems. At best case scenario, it just changed the age group that the problems were occuring in. If sixteen year olds are driving and monitored by their parents (only allowed to drive during daylight or other such rules) than they are much safer than 18 year olds getting a world of freedom all at once. 18 year olds are able to stretch and test limits in ways they were never allowed before, moving out and breaking rules just because there are suddenly no parents to restrict them. 18 year olds that have been driving for two years when they move out are much safer than those who are starting everything at once.
gfhdhgfhhfgytgjhsdfjkdhfnc
considering i’m going for my permit very soon….no…lol…although your thoughts are on the right track
in good ol nodak i get to drive at 14 lucky and yes some people are immature about it but for the most part it works out good
no, becoz my lil bro is 15 and i want him to drive! im tired of driving him
I do not really think that it is totally necessary for the driving age to be raised to 18. Of course the statistics show that drivers in their first year have more accidents, etc, etc, but for some people I don’t think the two years would really help that much. 18 year olds would still make the same mistakes that 16 year olds would make because it would be their first time driving alone. Also, I don’t know if all 18 year olds are more mature that all 16 year olds. Of course there are many cases in which this is true, but there are also cases when it is. I turned 16 at the end of May and I was totally fine with driving on my own like an adult. I took Driver’s Ed. and practiced with my parents. I feel totally comfortable on the road and I haven’t had a problem yet.
TAG UR IT!!!! this is so scary. send this to 15 people in the next 143 mins. when you are done press F6 and your crushes name will appear on the screen in big letters. this is scary cuz it works!!!! if you break the chain you will have problems with relationships for the next 5 year
No. In fact, implementing very strict driving tests and stricter laws controlling drugs and alcohol on the road could eliminate the need for a driving age at all. I just wrote a big paper on this so I don’t feel like discussing it more, but it would actually yield enourmous benifits for the country.
I think it should stay 16, but penalties should be bigger for DUI or wreckless driving in general. Maybe more hours of driving school to help drivers out a little more? Limiting the amount of passengers in the car for young drivers? Because some people have to commute to college/University or work, it would be a pretty craptastic if they had to take public transit for so long……. : P
Nah, I think 16 is okay. Teens’ll be everywhere, and they can’t have parents or friends drive them all the time. I say just keep enforcing responsibility and maturity in driving for them. I say 16 is okay, just as long as they don’t suck at driving.
-Daniel
No because there is responsible teens out there but I actually think that it should be because there are more inmature ones then responsible ones.
hmmm, well u were only one teenager out of MILLIONS……im sure lots of teens r like u, but a lot more arent!! i think 16 is a GREAT age to start driving
I’d argue that sixteen is the perfect age. The average 16 year old has more common sense than they are given credit for. I’d also never argue the maturity of the average 18 year old, though.
dude i’m almost 16 and fighting for my permit.
driving is all i want.
dont take that away from me.
Yes and No. I understand the perspective of teenagers driving like idiots, because I’m eighteen at the moment, and I see it every day. I understand what it feels like to be behind the wheel of a car and just…wanting to be stupid.
I live in Pennsylvania, where the driving age is really sixteen and a half years old. When someone turns sixteen, they can apply for a learner’s permit, and have a certain set of requirements to meet before they can obtain a legal license. First, they’ve got to have it for six months, and second, they must have fifty hours of supervised driving in order to even apply for a junior license. A lot of kids complain about it, but it’s really important out here (even with just the terrain, which is hilly and full of turns), and helps to break a kid into driving. However, it’s just as easy to act like a good driver with their parents, and then be a complete moron when they’re finally free of supervision.
But then again, there are grandma drivers, like me, who only do five miles over the speed limit–max. I do agree with you that the driving age should be higher, but if that can’t be done, then maybe there should be some kind of longer ‘wait’ to obtain a legal license.
No, when oyu think about it, a lot of 18 year olds do stupid crap too
yes. its not like 16 year olds need a car or anything. since most car accidents are caused by kids of that age group, an older age would mean less accidents and deaths.
no because some people do have the mature abillity to drive
I agree that some don’t but why restrict everyone?
Old enough to kill people but just the perfect age to learn to drive a car, huh.
I will be turning sixteen soon, and my biggest worry is getting a ticket for going too slow or get arrested for road-rage. (Hypocritical, I know) It depends on the person–if you know your kid is not responsible, make them pay for their own insurance.
It’s not just teens who are irresponsible–there are plenty of adults who have been driving since they were sixteen and still have yet to learn that reading while driving is not the best idea, nor is twisting around to the backseat to adjust the babyseat while going 80 mph. Just yesterday I saw a guy get out of brand-new car, finish his beer, and throw the empty bottle onto the highway.
The only weakness all new young drivers have is experience, and really, that is the parents’ responsibility. Make him/her drive to the grocery store, see how they do. You’ll know whether they’re ready or not. If they’re not ready, sign the kid up for classes or ride with him/her yourself. Increasing the driving age solves nothing–it’s just a way of postponing the issue. The only way to get experience is to actually you know, drive. Simply because some people are not ready does not mean all 16-year-olds are the same way. I am a horrible driver, always will be. I drive either too fast or too slow, but I am a lot more careful than most.
I drove around with Mom or Dad at first–still do from time to time, since I don’t have my license. If at the beginnig the first thing they did was buckle up, now they actually relax in their seats and only remind me to stop for red lights now and then.
Me
hello wanna be friends, corny eh?
I’m almost 15 and when I was doing my drivers ed stuff I almost crashed the car… I do think they should do something or give more training…
No way.
my brother tried to teach me how to dive lol i almost crashed into a stupid fence… but i think the driving age should stay were it is
I don’t think that by switching the legal driving age 18 that your really accomplishing anything. Most teenagers are terrible drivers because of lack of experience not maturity level, at least in my opinion! cool blog!
No. I just got my permit today ‘_’
parents dont like to drive their teenagers every where and teenagers dont like their parents driving them everywhere. to take away that incentive at 16 is almost like taking away a goal or dream. that doesnt seem right does it?
I’m a driver rehab specialist, and it is documented that the most fatal accidents happen with younger drivers under the age of 25 than drivers who are over 65. It takes almost 5 years after getting your license to encounter most or all of the driving situations you might encounter, and even then, it’s hard to say if you would respond appropriately. So many people say that elder drivers are dangerous on the roads, however, their years of experience driving, knowledge of rules of the road, and their increased caution (going slower, signalling sooner) are far and away less dangerous than the 17 year old with less than a year of experience, and more times than not, distracted by music and friends, eating, and cell phones. In NYS we have a graduated license system. You can get your permit at 16, but have to have 20 hours of behind the wheel signed documentation before you can take your roadtest. If you get your license at 16, you’re not able to drive past 9 PM.
I firmly believe that the license requirements should be stricter. Maybe not being able to drive past 9 PM until you are 18. I had a client who did well with her driver evaluation, passed her road test, and 3 months later got into a car accident and suffered a horrible brain injury. I have just received another referral for her to return for eval…speaking with her on the phone was just…sad. She’s not the bright, quick-witted kid I saw 2 years ago.
yes.
im still going with you should only be 16 to drive thing. and here is a good reason why i dont agre with you about it goin to 18.
yes some kids are immature and krazy on the road. but if it were raised up to 18 then that wouldnt be fair for the kids who were raised rite. they may make mistakes but not to many and not on purpose.
-TJ
If it was raised to eighteen, I would have to have someone drive me to college once I start. There are other people who would be in this situation.
oh gosh, never say something like that again as long as you live. the maturity level is there it just depends if they decide to use it or not.
actually i’m for increasing the speed limits too. especially in places such as montana, wyoming and idaho which, along many streches don’t need them. even suburban speed limits are too slow.
random comment. i got my license at 16, only after my parents decided i was mature enough to drive a vehicle. while i agree some 16 year olds aren’t mature enough to handle a vehicle, i think it should be a parent’s decision whether or not their child is able to control a car. my parents taught me well and although i’ve only had my license for two years, i think i’m a good driver and i’m bold enough to say i’m a better driver than some adults on the road. i’m as careful a driver as i think i can be because my parents taught me to drive this way.
i dont see no fuckin coffie!!!
From a high school teacher’s standpoint (who has been to student funerals)…ABSOLUTELY. Teens are not ready at 16 for that big of a responsibility. When you are behind the wheel, you are in control of your life, and the lives of others on the road. One bad move, and you can take your own or someone else’s life away. As a teenager, how would one deal with that on their conscience? What about teen drinking (which is VERY prevalent now, just as it was when my parents were in high school)? Can the rational decision be made whether to drink and drive or not? Hopefully, in most cases, yes. But those kids who are a mile or two from home and ten feet tall and bulletproof under the influence may not make the same judgement call. I think that kids in high school can ride the big cheese with pride knowing they will get to and from school safely. I also believe that (while it may be a slight inconvenience on both parts) mom and dad would be happy to take you wherever and pick you up knowing you’ll come home alive than to go identify your body at a morgue somewhere due to your (or someone else’s) incompetent driving at an age not mature enough to handle that kind of responsibility.
i think the driving limit has ben set perfectly. age has nothing to do with maturity, age is just a number of how many years since you popped out of your mother’s stomach…what YOU are talking about is taking an individual test to see if the person is mature enough and capable enough….that being said, no one under 15 should be allowed to drive. end of story.
It should be at 18 for people livin in the city, and 17 for people living in the county. When you are 16 and you live 15 miles out of town it is a bit hard to get around but I still think that would be good for us kids. I am 19 now and am just beinging to feel like I am a good driver. I also think that they should lower the drinking age to 16. They should do this for it would make better sense to have teens drink responsably before they drive. I just find it really fustrating that all over the world the countries have a drinking age to 16 and 18. The US and Tiawan are the only countries at 21. When you have someone wait too long for something they will abuse it when they finally get to use it. and this is shown thru the driving records in other countries. and also the drinking records in other countries. If you make it not a big deal to drink for them then they will not go over the edge. In europe kids are drinking at 7 or 8 at the dinner table. and it is considered a part of life. not something that you can only enjoy when you reach a certian age. and that is what drinking should be. Another good Idea would be to have it 18 across the board for everything.
No.
yes it should.
i think in TX driving age did raise to 18. Hahaha
I am 16 and I agree that it should be. I have a friend who illegally obtained a car and drove it around like a amniac at 15. If he’s like this now, how’s he going to be when it’s legal for him to drive? Teenagers lack the ability to entirely comprehend a situation before acting and act on a whim. Is that what you want driving on the road with your children?