Do you think the driving age in the UK should be increased?

Question

Teenage drivers are the bain of all us good drivers with insurance...
They hike up our premiums cos when they pass they all think their Ayrton Senna (and often end up like he did).

Would a more appropriate age for even maybe male drivers be increased to 20 or 21?

Answer 1

Do not raise the age for driving but do limit new drivers to a engine size of 1 litre and no more then 1 passenger for the first 2 years of driving if convicted of any driving offence in the first 2 years they are banned until they have retook their test.

Answer 2

Increasing the driving age, and putting repsonsible young motorists off the road just because of a few stupid individuals is not the best way of going about it, I think. Anyway, those of a law-abiding disposition are more often than not priced off the road by the insurance premiums resulting from that stupid minorty already.

Seriously, an IQ test, or a common sense test, would be a great idea. It would keep those clearly too stupid to drive responsibly off the roads in the first place, young and old, without putting a blot on the rest of us.

Other solutions could be making Pass Plus compulsary, or stopping all this 'speed kills' rubbish, with all these pathetic speed cameras and put more visible police patrols back on our roads.

Speed itself won't kill. It's bad driving, and impaired driving (by drink or otherwise) that causes crashes.

Answer 3

I do think that the driving age should be increased to about 18, but I also think that there should be an age limit for older drivers also- or perhaps we should be retested every ten years or something. I actually find that the worst drivers are males aged in their middle 30's to mid 40's- particuarly those driving any kind of van. Or, anyone driving a 4x4.

I don't think that young people put up the insurance of anyone except those within their age group. Insurance goes on accidents etc caused by people within your own age group, things happening within your postcode, thefts etc.

I just think that the teenagers who insist on forking out a few thousand quid on some hideous monstrosity which they then deck out with an enormous stereo system, and paint "wayne and waynetta" on their wind screen are really stupid, especially as they are probably paying double their car value in insurance.

Answer 4

Im insulted by this. Im 18 and l find it insulting that you are steriotyping teenagers. I have never broke the speed limit in my driving life. Why should the age be raised. What were you like when you passed? You were probably like Ayrton Senna as well.

Looking at a more recent question of yours "I've driven at speeds on the motorway which shall we say greatly exceed the speed limit"

And your getting at teenager drivers. Think carefully before you shoot yourself in the foot next time mate.

Answer 5

You are correct at saying it should go up, some of these young just passed their test another killer boy racer on the road to wreak havock. Not all 17 year olds are bad drivers and the poor souls cannot get insurance for less than £1k.

These boy racers think they are the dogs goolies and laugh at us older guys, ok they can drive fast but they aint got a hope in hell of stopping in an emergency. I giggle when I see this little ball of a head with its boy racer hat on just sticking up from the door window, they have got to have that booming rubbish / swearing/ racist so called music 4 idiots. How the coloured people don't get offended by this type of offensive so called music, I find it hard to beleive that coloured people accept this, it disgusts me, I am not a racist person.

Answer 6

Its hard to say for me, as like most kids i wanted to drive from the age of 12. I understand what you are saying but we all have to start driving some time in life. I personally was 18 and i still drove like a stupid kid with a toy. some folk are no maturer at 21 than they were at 17. Its the thrill of having a car that You can drive, and you Think no one can stop you from doing as you please, and all of those rules of the road only count to experienced drivers and learners. But i do agree with you about them causing us grown ups to pay for there mistakes, through premiums or causing injuries and accidents.

Answer 7

New drivers should be limited to the size of the engine they can drive, for the first 12 months, not only will it hopefully make them safer on the road but it will save a fortune in insurance

Answer 8

It is 16 here in America and it is definitely too low. I think 18 should be the absolute minimum and if you are faulted in a wreck or get 3 tickets in the first year you should have the license suspended until age 21.

Answer 9

No I don't think they should raise the age, but I do think every 10 years a re-test should be enforced.

BTW I have been driving since I was 17, I'm 24 now - and I have always stuck to the speed limit and I have a clean licence - I'm happy for speed cameras as they don't bother me cause I don't have to slam on my brakes.

"I've driven at speeds on the motorway which shall we say greatly exceed the speed limit"

Answer 10

Yes and no i think young people should drive at 17 but must prove by school reports and police check if they are mentally fit to drive and should only be allowed to drive a small car until twenty one Dave