Changing the driving age to 18?

Question

Is that a good idea? tell me about the pros and cons that you can think of....I have to write a paper and I can't deicide which way i want to go.

Answer 1

Be against it. Basically, you can't put a number on the law. I mean, some 14 year olds are probably better drivers than 30 year olds. Changing the driving age to 18 will do nothing because 18 year olds who learn to drive will have as much experience as a 16 year old learning to drive. And someone learning to drive doesn't drive well. When you learn to drive at 16, by the time you're 18, you'll have 2 years of experience. And when you're 18, that's when you really need to drive around a lot. Driving age should be based solely on skill.

But for some pros...yes, younger drivers tend to be more reckless, making it more dangerous. (and then you would counter with how dangerous it is to have old people drive, it teachers kids responsibility, etc, etc.)

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I am 54 and got my drivers license by taken drivers education when I was 14. I couldn't drive at night until I was 16. An awful lot has changed since I was a boy. I had a job after school in the spring and fall moving irrigation pipe and being able to drive helped an enormous amount. In the winter I worked as a lineboy at the local airport.

That being said, I think that I was too young to be driving at that age, as were most of my friends and this was a generation that actually listened to our parents (well, mostly) and didn't hate everybody under the sun and didn't really drink and do drugs very much. I purchased my first car, paid for the insurance (because is wasn't mandatory it was cheap) and bought my own gas.

In this day and age of mass transit, bicycles and scooters are also plentiful. Insurance rates are sky high, cars are pieces of cra* that takes a master mechanic to fix and drink and drugs are plentiful. One other thing is the cell phone; the number of young people that are in serious accidents because they are yakking on the phone while driving is astronomical.

I don't think age should be the factor though. I do agree that some folks are pretty mature at 14 and others are not even at 30. I think that a person should, by law and consent of both parents, be allowed to take drivers ed and get a day license at 16 provided they have grades C or above (absolutely no dropouts) and are financially able to themselves afford the insurance. In other words their license is tied to a job. This show responsibility. I know, I'm crazy and will get a thumbs down but we have too many bad drivers already that are not minors.

Answer 3

I have mixed feelings on this subject, but overall, I would say I would be less in favor of such a measure. Instead, I would prefer to see a modified version of what Australia uses mixed with USA Standards. Something on the order of:

1.) A national standard for drivers education.
(a.) Standardized class room education.
(b.) Standardized driver simulation education.
(c.) Standardized behind the wheel education.

2.) A national standard for vehicle power capabilities. (learners would be restricted to certain types of cars with reduced power and better safety features.

3.) A national standard in licensing.
(a.) L plates for learners with restrictions on how much they are allowed to drive and restrictions on passengers. Zero blood alcohol levels. Restrictions on car models and horsepower. ages 16-18

Its a good debate and controversial. Best of luck.