The current driving age of sixteen is implemented in almost every state in the United States. Most states have become accustomed to the current driving age, but recently there are certain states that believe that the legal driving age should be raised due to various reasons. The main argument for most states is that sixteen-year old’s are not mature enough and lack the preparation to handle the responsibility to drive safely. Teenagers under the age of eighteen should be required to wait longer to get their license and should be more prepared before getting their license. Raising the age was not an idea based on opinions. Over the years many people and organizations have recorded facts and statistics to support their claims. An example shown on CBS News, shows that “More than 5,000 U.S. teens die each year in car crashes. The rate of crashes, fatal and nonfatal, per mile driven for 16-year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for drivers ages 30 to 59, according to the National Highway Safety Administration” (CBS NEWS). One huge influence on the topic was the Insurance Institutes for Highway Safety, they created a seventeen page memo filled with statistics and examples of how raising the age is a necessity. This is not the first attempt to use statistics to support the appeal to raise the age. The Seattle Times states, “The example the institute uses most prominently is New Jersey, the only state with a minimum driver's license age of 17. The report cited a study from 1992-96 in which the rate of crash-related deaths among 16- and 17-year-olds was 18 per 100,000 in New Jersey, compared with 26 per 100,000 in Connecticut, which had a minimum driver's license age of 16 and 4 months” (Willette). Overall the argument that raising the age will result in less teen deaths while driving is highly justified. There are frequent examples and a huge amount of research that proves that younger drivers are more likely to cause harm or damage than an older, more experienced driver. One crucial evidence used in the case to raise the driving age is the mental stage teenagers are in at this age. Teen brains at sixteen aren't as developed as an eighteen-year-old brain. This is showcased in a study on the Chicago Tribune that
Young drivers should have to wait until they are 18 years old to get their license because 16 year olds are more likely to get in an accident than an older driver. One author said, “Sixteen-year-old drivers are the most likely to crash, so raising the age at which teens could get their license would save many lives…” (Rubin). Rubin gives a valid reason to why the minimum driving age should be raised from 16 to 18. If the driving age is raised, there would be less people involved in wrecks, which would help the world out as a whole. Even though 16 year olds are more accident prone than other drivers, taking 16 year olds off of the road would save the lives of everyone on the road. However, there are people who believe that the minimum driving age should not be raised because of various reasons. One article states that, “If they have to wait until they are 17 or 18, they remain dependent on parents practically until they are ready to go off to college, join the military or take a
The big debate as to whether the legal driving age should be raised to eighteen is an ongoing issue. There are both arguments for and against this matter. Younger drivers, as well as old ones, can cause many life-threatening accidents; therefore, raising the minimum driving age could significantly reduce the number of accidents. The accident rates can be lowered considerably if the legal driving age is bumped up to eighteen. This would mean that no more kids could get hurt or worse, killed in a car accident.
On the counterclaim side if the driving age is raised to 18 then it will save young lives.On Average about nine teens ages 16-19 are killed everyday from car wrecks. If it's raised to 18 then there won’t be as many teens ages 16 and 17 killed in car wrecks. A lot of teens lose their lives a year do to car accidents. On average about 6,000 teenagers die a year due from car wrecks. So that's why it might be a good idea. According to( DRIVE-SAFELY.NET) “ A sixteen year old is almost twice as likely to die in a car crash then a 30 year old.”
Although many who support lowering the driving age believe that there are immature and distracted drivers in every age group, there's no arguing with science. It is scientifically proven that sixteen-year-old children are far less qualified than further developed individuals in terms of brain development. According to a study conducted by National Institutes of Mental Health, teenage drivers are not only vulnerable because they lack experience behind the wheel, but also because of the unique makeup of the adolescent brain. The brain is at its peak in terms of acquiring and retaining new information during adolescence. However, the areas needed for impulse control and mediating emotional responses are the last to develop and may not reach full
One of the most commonly discussed topics is teens and the way they drive. The question that has been going around is should the driving age be raised or stay the same or should stricter laws be created and enforced. One reason it may also seem as though many accidents are caused by teens, they are caused by adults. The driving age should remain at 16 years old, because it gives teenagers a sense of responsibility and it would cause conflict with parents/guardian work and activities.
It would be Irrational and Ineffective to raise the driving age. Parents would have a huge weight put on their shoulders. Many teenagers would lose nearly all of their privileges. Some may benefit by saying it’s a stress relive to not have teens on the road but many more would disagree.
Teenagers all around the country are beginning to drive. In the mind of a teenager, turning 16 and being able to drive is an exciting achievement. They are finally free to drive without an adult in the car with them. Many people believe the age to get a license should be lowered to 15 years old, while others think it should be raised to 18 years of age. Some states have already raised the age to 17 years old instead of 16. However, the question still remains, should the driving age be lowered to 15 years old, or raised to 18 years old?
Many teens want to be able to drive as soon as they turn 16, but many still argue that they are to young to be driving. If we raise the driving age are we really taking into consideration all the consequences it will cause to many teenage lives. The legal driving age should not be raised, inspite the many efforts by the government. I myself am a 17 year old driver, and a safe one at that. And me and others are supposed to be punished for the actions of
There has been a big discussion in the past few years about the set driving age. This problem has started to become a real issue. It has come to a point where the state legislator is thinking about changing the driving age. Many young teens are trying to fight this law from being passed. The driving age should not be raised because, some teens can’t rely on their parents for rides, students have to drive to work, and some parents need help getting things done.
Changing the minimum driving age from 16 to 18 would have a negative effect on a teenager’s life. If such a law were past, teens freedoms, happiness, responsibility, and independence would be removed from their life experiences. Only through gaining actual driving experience can a young driver become more capable of making competent decisions behind the wheel. Who knows, maybe it will be a younger teenage driver that has the driving experience that will save a life
Turning the age of sixteen is an important part of your life, you get to have that huge birthday party, your parents start giving more respect and responsibility, and of course, you get your drivers license. This might all change if congress pass a bill the was recently proposed. This bill will raise the driving age from sixteen years of age to eighteen years of age. This bill was proposed because teenagers make up 7 percent of Licensed drivers, while they are involved in upwards of 20% of accidents. I do not believe that passing this bill will change any of these statistics because the longer the teenage driver has to wait, the more anxious they will be to drive. They will inexperienced regardless of age, and they also wont be able to
Due to safety concerns, many states have agreed that increasing the age at which teens can begin to drive. Virginia is considering raising the minimum driving age from 16 to 18. I believe that the minimum driving age should remain the same. Although there are some safety concerns, teens who are responsible on the road should not be punished for the actions of others. Also, young adults driving on the road gives them a sense of responsibility. Another reason why the law should not change, it would delay the teens on getting a job and getting that feeling of adulthood.
While many people think raising the minimum driving age is beneficial, research shows that the amount of fatal crashes involving 15 to 20-year-old drivers has decreased over the past 10 years. If it is raised, it would not help anything. Teens would still drive around at night… just illegally. Teens are busy all the time. If they cannot drive they have to rely on someone else all the time to take them where they need to be. Also, getting a driver’s license is a big step in growing up as a teenager.
It is not the 15-19-year-olds that are the most dangerous on the roads; it is the 20-24-year-olds. The driver license age being raised just means that people have one year less driving experience when they hit the critical fatality ages. If the driver's license age were still 15, that would mean drivers would have at least five years extra driving experience before they enter the most dangerous age-period (20-24-year-olds) which in my opinion would make them much safer drivers. These explanations and examples show that the age increase from 15-16 to obtain your learner's licence was unnecessary as the driver's in the most vulnerable age group (20-24) are not experienced enough to be safer and therefore proves that the raise in age shouldn't have
Although many auto safety experts assume most teenagers are immature to handle driving. Those teenagers are lack responsibility. Many high school teen drivers certainly concerned about popularity than safety. The state legislature should rise the age sixteen to eighteen because teens are more distracted easily by cellphone and other communication devices, increasing the driving age could less car accidents and rising the age of driving could save many tragic lives.