Should 16 Year Olds Be Allowed To Drive?...

[ChefChiTown]

It's a question that could reverberate across the country, wherever a new teen driver is turning a key in an ignition.

Is 16 the right age to get a driver's license?

Researchers for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety say the answer is no, and they point to statistics to back up the position that raising the driving age makes sense and would save lives.

The insurance institute has pressed the question for years. At this week's annual meeting of the Governors Highway Safety Association in Scottsdale, Ariz., institute President Adrian Lund is going to push it further. Although Lund doesn't expect to lobby state legislatures, he said Monday he will advocate for a higher minimum driving age in his speech Tuesday.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-teen-driving-study_09sep09,0,1775625.story

I have mixed feelings about this issue. One on hand, teenagers (for the most part) are irresponsible, eratic drivers who have an "I'm invincible" attitude that causes most of our country's accidents and I don't think it's good to have them on the road. On the other hand, parents just don't have the time to drive their kids everywhere they want and sometimes need to go, so teenagers being able to drive is almost a necessity.

What do we do? :dunno:

 

[Apex]

not so much age but ability, generally 16 yr olds are totally lost behind the wheel
id much rather have a good 16 yr old driver than a crappy 86 yr old though

 

[TunnelOfLove]

I think 16 is too young. Here in Finland you have to be 18 to have driver's license and sometimes even that feels too young.

But in Finland you become sexually legal when you are 16, having sex is more fun than driving anyways.

 

[Violator79]

Re: Should 16 Year Olds Be Allowed To Drive?...86

not so much age but ability, generally 16 yr olds are totally lost behind the wheel
id much rather have a good 16 yr old driver than a crappy 86 yr old though

That is the honest truth!!!!! The majority of accidents teens have is from either drinking or just goofing off. Old people can't drive worth a shit. There is one exception to that: my dad's mother in-law is a great driver and she's 86 I believe. But other than that, old people have bad reaction times and if the speed limit is 55, they're doing 30 in the FAST LANE!!!

My parents didn't let me drive until I was 17. I did have a go-cart when I was younger and drove that around my neighborhood, but no one cared because I wasn't reckless.

 

[B_S]

Here in San Diego CA 19-25 years can barely drive, they take time off their cell phones just to cause an accident with another car or run somebody over.

So to 16 yo's being able to drive I say NO!!!!!!

 

[jetta03]

no!

 

[vinondan]

i'm 19 and i passed my test two years ago and haven't had a crash or killed anybody, however that said, at least 1 in 4 or maybe 1 in 3 of my mates the same age have done so.

 

[CunningStunts]

I think the driving age without an adult in the car should be raised to 18... but I also think the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18.

 

[Apex]

i'm 19 and i passed my test two years ago and haven't had a crash or killed anybody, however that said, at least 1 in 4 or maybe 1 in 3 of my mates the same age have done so.

those are pretty bad percentages, kudos to you though for not driving like i did when i first started!

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

You get your learner's licence when you're 15 up here in Canada.

 

[ChefChiTown]

When I first got my license, I was a fucking terrible driver. Sure, I could stay in the lines and follow traffic signals...the easy stuff. But, I never really paid much attention to other cars on the road and just paid attention to whatever I was listening to on the radio.

I've only been in one car accident (involving another car anyway) but there were numerous times where I should've been in an accident. Dumb luck prevented those from happening, apparently.

It wasn't until I was 19-20 years old when I fully realized how fucking dangerous it is to not pay full attention to the road.

Their age isn't the only problem when talking about 16 year olds having the right to drive. I think you also have to consider the "experience" they have. When you're 16 and brand new to driving, you are terrible at it, no matter how you try and look at it. After a year or two of driving, you get a lot better and more responsible. But, if you were, let's say 18 years old when you first got your license, you would still be a terrible driver. You would still need that experience to get better at it and fully understand "how" to drive.

With that being said, 18 year olds will also "pick up on it" a lot quicker than 16 year olds would, so I do agree that the driving age should be raised.

 

[Facetious]

Re: Should 16 Year Olds Be Allowed To Drive?...



Yes ! Why the hell not ? A kid with a car is more likely to get a part time job, after school hours. Work is good ! It teaches kids a plethora of lessons, skills and responsibilities. Sure beats the hell outta having your kid(s) come home (after school). . eat pop tarts, drink a 2 liter of coke, seek porn, play video games and acquire a flabby arse ! & develop low esteem & have to go on prozac !!!!!!! :tongue:

 

[vinondan]

if they raise the driving age, all of the 16/17 year old kids would go out driving illegally, and that is even worse.

 

[Facetious]

if they raise the driving age, all of the 16/17 year old kids would go out driving illegally, and that is even worse.

When I was about 14, I used to sneak out my bedroom window at 2 AM . . . sister's car keys . . . and a big fat dooby in hand . . . . you know the rest of the story

No, never got caught ! :hatsoff: :thumbsup:


Seriously though -
You're probably right, both mom and dad are likely working and wouldn't be able to effectively suspend their kids' driving.

 

[vinondan]

When I was about 14, I used to sneak out my bedroom window at 2 AM . . . sister's car keys . . . and a big fat dooby in hand . . . . you know the rest of the story

No, never got caught ! :hatsoff: :thumbsup:

at least you went out at 2 am when there are virtually no other road users about.

 

[mongo18]

I think the driving age without an adult in the car should be raised to 18... but I also think the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18.

That's a great idea! Let them start drinking and driving at the same time!

 

[calpoon]

I think the driving age without an adult in the car should be raised to 18... but I also think the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18.

I agree. although I'd say that maybe 17 year olds should be able to get a learner's permit that allows them to drive without an adult, but has the other restrictions such as a limited number of passengers and curfew.

where do teenagers need to go? to school, that's it. they don't need to go to the fucking mall. If they want to they can take the bus or ride a bike, that's what I did.

I also disagree that they need jobs. Unless you are going to make them pay rent, just having money so that they can shop frivolously is not going to teach them responsibility, it will just get them in the habit of irresponsible spending when they become an adult.

I think kids should enjoy the small time they have being kids. why the rush to responsibility? that's the whole point of being a kid, no responsibility. they have the rest of their lives to be indentured servants and always having to account for everything.

 

[Facetious]

CHEF - Didn't your high school provide you with a drivers ed class as part of the normal curriculum ? And didn't those Highway Patrol "splat" videos make an impression on you ? :shy: lol !

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

I agree. although I'd say that maybe 17 year olds should be able to get a learner's permit that allows them to drive without an adult, but has the other restrictions such as a limited number of passengers and curfew.

That is the way we do it in Saskatchewan. You first get your learner's, and you have to drive with a parent, and you have it for nine months. Then, when you pass your road test, you earn your licence, though you can only have one non-family member in the car at one time. I think it's six months till you graduate to full blown licence...

But trust me, that doesn't help anything. Teenagers will drive with more people because they know it is unlikely they will be pulled over.

 

[ChefChiTown]

CHEF - Didn't your high school provide you with a drivers ed class as part of the normal curriculum ? And didn't those Highway Patrol "splat" videos make an impression on you ? :shy: lol !

Our high school didn't offer crap. We had to pay for a driving class, which is mandatory if you're under the age of 18 in Ohio (which is where I got my license). To be honest, all of those "Be Safe: Driving" movies made me fucking laugh. They were sooooo stupid and poorly done.