I have been thinking a lot lately about young drivers. In the state I live, at age 16 you can drive by yourself. You can get your learners permit at 14. Most sixteen year olds are not mature enough to drive.
My high school was the perfect example of this.
A girl I had class with drove into a parked car 2 times in less than a month! I know another girl who was in a horrific accident in November. She was a young driver and the wreck was her fault. She has been in the hospital for four months now. They were not sure if she was going to make it for several weeks. Fortunately she survived but now she is having to relearn how to do everything and could very likely be permanently damaged for the rest of her life. I know a boy I went to school with from first grade until he was killed my senior year of high school in a wreck that was due to his inexperience in driving.
It is too great a risk. I really believe that you should not be able to drive alone until you are 18.
Then when you are 18 you must have had a permit for at least 2 years. In my lovely state if you are over the age of 16 you didn't get a permit all you have to do is take a written exam (which is a joke -I didn't even read the book and I passed). Then a month later you can get your hard copy of your permit (if you are under 16) by passing a driving test (which is also a joke I made three lefts, a right and I pulled into a parking spot I drove a 1/4 a mile or less) or if you are over 16 you just get your license. If someone waited until right before there 16th birthday they could go from no driving experience what so ever to having an unrestricted license in a month.
That is putting drivers with no experience driving what so ever on the same roads that my family drives on. Driving for a month does not teach you what to do if you have a blow out or how to drive when its icy or how to react if another driver runs you off the road. It's not just the driving experience that's the huge issue it's the level of decision making.
When we are teenagers our brains are not fully developed and we don't always make the best choices. We are sending our babies out to die. This does not have to happen. Just because your child turns 16 does not mean you have to run out a buy them a car and turn them loose if they are not ready!
If you feel they need to have more experience or grow up a little bit then make them wait 6 months or a year. It is our job to protect them. It is also our job to make sure they are not harming those around us as well. They may get in a wreck and not be injured but what if someone in the other car was hurt or even killed because your child didn't have the experience needed to drive safely.
What if that was your mother or husband that was hurt or injured because it isn't convenient for you to drive your child everywhere. I would much rather my child be angry with me for not letting them drive than to have to go down to the coroners office and try to identify pieces of the child that I carried in my womb for 9 months, the child that I protected so diligently for so long.. We would not allow our two year olds to play with the stove so why would be let our inexperienced teenagers drive vehicles that have the potential to go over 100 mph. They are bound to get hurt. 70 mph crashes are horrific as it is. The young girl that was in the wreck in November was driving down a road where the speed limit is 35 mph and now she will never be the same. A crash at that low of a speed has completely changed her life.
I'm
not saying all teenagers are unfit to drive but a huge percentage of them are. Please if your child is not ready then protect them and those around them by not allowing them to drive until they are mature enough or have the experience necessary to drive safely.
What are your thoughts about the legal driving age in your state? Do you feel that teenagers are well prepared to start driving at the age of 16? How did you learn how to drive and at what age?
Comments (61)
I think that my state (California) has a decent set of laws for getting a license. If under 18, a person can get a learner's permit at 15 1/2 only after completing a state approved driver's ed course (30 hours) and driver's training (6 hours). If under 18, a person has to have a learner's permit for a minimum of 6 months, which means they cannot drive alone in a car and the other licensed driver in the car has to be at least 25 years old.
A person can get a provisional license at 16. If under 18 (with a provisional license), the minor cannot transport passengers under 20 years of age at any time for the first twelve months. They also cannot drive between 11 pm and 5 am for the first twelve months.
If a person turns 18 before the 12 months is up, then they are treated as a regular adult with a regular class C license.
I didn't get my license until I was 18, so I never had the provisional license. It worked out better that way.
(I don't know why Xanga is making my text bold)
I live in BC, Canada. We have a graduated license program. At 16, you can get a learner's permit, which requires someone 25 or older with a valid license to drive with you, and there is a curfew. This permit lasts up to two years. From there, you receive a New Driver license, which limits you to one passenger (family is an exception), and absolutely no alcohol is permitted in your system.
I don't think raising the driving age would change much. Better instruction, however, would be a solid plan.
I'm sorry, but this is stupid. The difference between a 16 year old and a 18 year old is miniscule. Teenagers need their licenses to drive to get to their jobs, make steady money, and be able to pay for their own college/life when they get there. In any group, whether it's 16 or 18 year olds, there are going to be tons of people too immature and inexperienced driving that'd make the statistics higher. Two years won't make these teenagers any more 'ready' for driving. I know teenagers who've gotten into accidents 9 days after getting their license, and people who got it as young as they could who've never gotten so much as a ticket in their life. Where the problem is, is instructors letting people pass who shouldn't pass. Don't restrict the kids who RELY on driving to prepare them for life. I'm going to be 18 in August, and if I were going to a college out of state, I'd be living on campus before I even had my license, depending on when I went out there! That's ridiculously limiting! We can go out and LIVE on our own before we can drive? High School is about preparation. For work, for school, for life. And restricting things and throwing them at teenagers before they go out into the real world at last minute will cause more problems than good deeds. Make the penalties for accidents/tickets higher. Get this kids off the street.
But don't hold the people who need it back.I recently moved to NJ and I can't get my license until I'm 18 now. Luckily I live in a house with three vehicles, but this is limiting my ability to get a job. I'll be enrolled in college before I can even drive myself there. Seriously? In Ohio, where the age is 16 (I moved out to NJ shortly after turning so I couldn't get my license in OH) I was prepared and ready for it. I got my temps ASAP and was at ease with driving.
It sounds easy for adults to say 'take it away! they don't need them!' but in a world where you NEED a job as a teenager if your parents aren't filthy rich to save for college, waiting until the age of 18 to get a license is limiting in the workforce and scholarly areas. This isn't the way to handle immature teens getting into repeat accidents. Raise the punishments.
@skylar_rose@xanga - Agree.
I got my license at 16 and have never had an accident. My brother waited until he was 18 and he got two speeding tickets within a month of receiving his license. He's had at least one accident that I can recall, and it was totally his fault. He's almost 21 and his driving is still questionable--he's just not as aware of his surroundings as others are. Age has nothing to do with it, but maturity has everything to do with it. If I don't feel my kids are truly ready at 16, I have no problem waiting another few years until I'm more comfortable with it. I was ready at 16, but that doesn't mean that everyone is. My brother wasn't ready at 16, and I'm glad my parents waited--it could have saved his life or the life of someone else.
The state law in MA requires you to be the age of 18 before you can receive an actual license to drive on your own. However, there are some twists in this law. If you take a driver's ed class when you're 16 and pass, you can go to the DMV and apply for a license. You just need to pass the written exam and driver's test. Basically, it's all about money and if you want your license before you turn 18, you have to fork over the money to do so and driver's ed class are expensive! If you didn't take a driver's ed class then you can only get a permit but an adult will have to accompany you if you drive.
In my honest opinion, any person at any age can drive recklessly.
Sure the law says one thing...but my parents said another. Though I could have had my permit at 15 and got a license at 16..I ended up not getting a permit til 16. And even though I only needed a certain amount of hours of driving to get my license, my dad made me drive a full year.
Maybe if more parents did that, there'd be less accidents.
You can't wait until someone is "mature" to let them have a license because age has nothing to do with maturity. It's a good idea, but it's not enforceable. Sure, parents can enforce it until their child is 18, but after that who is supposed to enforce it?
As a parent of 4 kids. I think that the child should have to wait until they are finshed with highschool to recive it. I feel they should have a permit at 16 and if thier grades fail they lose it Period. A parent drives the child for 16 years 2 more years is not going to hurt. And I also feel they should have more supervised driving then they are required now.
In Massachusetts, I had to get my permit at 16, and only could get my license at 16 1/2 or 17. Driving with friends at 18 (legally, anyway).
I have to say, especially with the notorious drivers of Boston (just saying, lived in Florida for college - Boston is not nearly as bad as everyone says) it's not the teens who I often see in accidents, cutting people off, or that I even get in slight road rage with.The teens are just horrible dancers in their car, blasting horrible music, but still do pretty well.
But if I ever saw a 14 yr old behind the wheel, I'd avoid the streets.
@raedium@xanga - I believe two years makes a huge difference for a lot of teens. Its not just about age its about maturity and driving experience. You are very right there are 16 year olds who are mature enough to drive. I got my license at 16 and I have never had a wreck or gotten a ticket. However I got my permit when I was 14 and drove regularly for two years so I had adequate experience by the time I turned 16. When I was 16 I would have completely disagreed with this myself but the older (mind you I'm only 20 I'm still a kid myself) I get the more I see that this is a huge issue that can easily be resolved. I believe even having stricter rules on teen drivers would have a great effect on this issue.
I was placed in drivers ed and drove for like 2 hours one summer but my parents wouldn't let me drive.
I learned how to drive officially in a giant truck.
Honestly, it doesn't matter. You suck when you first start driving because you are afraid. Most teenagers have jobs and are verging on adulthood in a developed society with long, long streets, so they need to drive.
I get where you're coming from, but I was mature enough to drive at 16, but then again, some 16 year olds definitely aren't. Some 20 year olds aren't either, etc. etc.
@AllThosePreciousMomentsAreGone@xanga - Yeah. I mean, they try to give you adequate time by ALLOWING you to get your temps beforehand and practice. The parents need to intervene here too. My mom let me drive with her for hours and hours a week, so I'm confident in the safety of my driving abilities. I have friends who never touched the wheel until Drivers Ed though, and that's not good either.
I would also like to say: The statistics of 'young people' in general having accidents are higher, whether it's 16 or 18. And if you eliminate licenses at 16, the only thing you'll see is a higher increase of accidents of 18 year olds. A lot of this is immaturity, but the majority of this is simply lack of experience. I currently live in a state where I can't get my license until I'm 18, and even though I'm graduated and will be enrolled in college BEFORE I'm even 18, I can't get a job because I can't drive myself there. I'm not in a major city and transport isn't readily available. How is this fair to me? I live with a working significant other who has a working family. And now I'm absolutely screwed and desperately worried about how I'm going to pay for college without having a job because I don't have a license. No income, no money, and suddenly when I turn 18 I'll be hit with college dues, book costs, the stress of finally getting my license and a job at once, and hopefully buying a car. Letting teenagers get licenses at 16 takes the edge off and makes it realistic for those who don't have part-time parents. It helps them prepare so they aren't thrown into the real world and on their faces screaming 'THIS IS TOO MUCH AT ONCE'. If I had chose to stay in Ohio, I could have kept my job and been ready for college. But moving here was a better choice for me, though it's more risky. And my situation is more common than people would think. It's very easy to say 'take them away!' Really, it is. But it's so impractical. Stricter regulations, more difficult tests, more parent interference would be the educational, smart way to do this...but raising the age is the easy way out. In a lot of state, Drivers Ed isn't even MANDATORY.So why don't we start there before we start revoking privileges? The state won't provide better required education, but they'll restrict driving even FURTHER. It's counterproductive, when you look at the big picture. >_
hahaha, that was a joke right? If you can work, you should be able to drive. You're honestly way paranoid about life. Chill out. Mass has pretty strict driving laws, if you're under 18 you need to attend a drivers ed course and have a permit for 6 months. If you're over 18 you still need to have the permit for 6 months and finish a road test. Chillll out. Old people run shit over all the time, but no one complains about their driving. It's whatever though ;] you obviously know what you're talking about hahahaha.
@VIc70RI4@xanga -
A lot of places are beginning to only hire those 18 and older- most places where I live won't hire anyone under 18.@raedium@xanga - Thats great I'm glad your mom had you practice my parents did the same thing for me. I know its inconvenient and longer learning periods would help. I'm not saying that absolutely raising the driving age will solve the problem with deadly car crashes. There are many other things that can be done to help it. It was just a thought I had that thought and I thought I would share. The main point of this entry was to not allow unprepared drivers to drive. No matter how old you are even if you 45 and you get your license for the first time the mandatory learning period should apply.
No, don't raise the driving age. It's hard enough as it is for teens to get to school (not everybody has buses!) and jobs as it is. I always thought the rules in Wisconsin were pretty tough (drivers ed and six months on a permit before testing, and probationary licenses for three years). I never knew anyone who was a dangerous driver who would have been made safer by making them wait the extra two years. And honestly... it's the responsible people who are going to follow the rules, so making more or tougher rules isn't going to make the roads much safer. How about enforcing those drunk driving laws that we already have...
i got my license at 16 i have had 1 ticket and one accident in 4yrs. my bf has had some more and he didn't get his until 17 almost 18yrs. my mother is 41 and has had so many accident and tickets if she gets any more she looses her license. i think it depends on the person you can be a good or crappy driver at any age. my sister is 17 and drives like crap but won't pay attention. unilike me i pay attention i have roadrage but know whats going on
@AllThosePreciousMomentsAreGone@xanga - Amen to that! :) Just thought I'd share some of my thoughts too. People should know there are other alternatives, like better education. ^__^
California is different; there are a lot more hoops we have to leap through. Never got into any accident when driving at 16. I think your state should improve their programs, not raise the age bar. Or maybe the parents should help their kids learn how to drive??
I feel that 16 should be the minimum age to be driving, with a licensed driver. The age 18, to be able to drive alone. That would leave 2 years to gain experience behind the wheel.
In no way should any state allow a 16 year old, to drive on the freeway alone. They are not ready for that, and cause a potential danger for everyone else on the highway.
In VT there is a graduated license program. You get your permit at 15 if you can past a written test. Then you are able to drive with adults 25 & over. Before you can get your license you have to take drivers ed (which most high schools offer), and complete so many hours of driving outside of drivers ed with an adult over 25. Then when you turn 16 and after you have had your permit for a year, you can take the driving test. They are actually quite strict with the test, I myself even got points off because I was being too cautious. Then when you get your license it is a junior operator's license. You can't drive with anyone else in the car unless there is an adult over 25 in the car for the first 3 months, then for the next 3 months you can only drive with family members in the car. You also can't drive late at night. Then for the rest of the time till you turn 18 its like you are on probation and if you do minor things wrong it is very easy for them to take away your license. Then at 18 you get your operator's license. The only thing is if you don't want to take drivers ed you can wait till your 18 to go for your license, but you still have to have a permit & drive with someone over 25 for a year before you get your license.
Personally I think the program works well and even those I know who wait till 18 some of them have had accidents. I don't really think age is the one important factor of being a good driver. In VT I think its important to get ones license at 16 because in most areas there is no such thing as public transportation. Parents have to drive a good distance to work so are not home to take the children to sports, work or whatever else they might wanna do. Towns are small and you generally have to go 15-20 miles to find even a supermarket. Most of the people I know were driving other vehicles well before they turned 16, such as tractors, dirt bikes & 4-wheeler. So while they might not be completely mature they do have experience driving. Yes they might drive fast or not be cautious when driving, but I know plenty of 20+, 30+, & 40+ who are even worse.
Most of the people my age got their license around 16 and besides a few run in with deer, which is just a normal part of life, there were hardly any accidents and they are all in their twenties now. I will admit that this past year the 16 year olds that got their licenses seem to all be idiots, as more then half of them have been in accidents already. So maybe the new younger generations weren't raised the same as us older generations, didn't get to experience farm driving & are just really immature. I know I can't believe how different they seem, but I'm sure every generation feels that way about the younger ones.