Comments on: Let’s change the driving age to 18!

By: Gabe Wrest

Gabe Wrest — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:03:05 +0000

What you said was very well put, and I respect you for that. On the other hand, it’s one of the stupidest thing I have ever read.

By: sean

sean — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:50:21 +0000

the reason for this the crash rates are that the 18-19 year olds have more experiance behind a wheel if you give an eighteen year old a new licens they will have the same inexperiance as the sixteen year old
im 15 and i know this ppl

By: Tyler harpis

Tyler harpis — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:02:17 +0000

In my opinion people shouldn’t categorize all 16 yr olds as reckless drivers. There are more responsible 16 yr olds than adults. Everyday there are adults caught driving drunk and/or under the influence of drugs.
In actuality there is no reason for the changing of age on being able to drive. Nobody’s perfect, adults have the same risk of causing an accident as a sixteen yr old. So what you are going to band sixteen year olds and not adults. In my humble opinion, a good way to keep crime, or accidents down is for adults to set a better example for this generation. I wouldn’t call taking your clothes off in front of a camera for money a good example. I would have to say out of my experiences growing up in a good stable non alcholic, drug-free environment, without my parents fighting every two seconds is a very good example for me.

thanks for your time,
Tyler

By: not in agree!!

not in agree!! — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:07:37 +0000

This is NOT agood idea! Ya there are kids who are just total idiots and they do NOT drive safely. But there are alot of 16 year olds that DO know how to drive and are good drivers. They don’t drive fast or put other people in risk. You should not let them just take kids licences away! Most 16 year olds are getting jobs, and need a ride and their parents can’t do that. You would make all those parents lives 10x harder! If the law was changed to 18 years old to drive, some kids already have moved out early, at 17. Or just waning to move at 18. They can’t move and be by themselves but NOT have a car to drive! And i know I said 18 and the law would be 18 years old, but I meant if you moved out at the age 18, you wouldn’t have parents being able to kind of watch how you drive alittle bit. And some kids that are 16 and seventeen are drunk when they drive. So the age 18 is alot closer to the age 21, which you can start to drink. So could you imagine how many more people would be found drunk driving!? I’m sure ALOT more. And to take the privalage of driving away from people who have or just recieved there licences, away till their 18? You would make so many lives unhappy. I think this law would NOT be good AT ALL for our state. We just need to make sure to keep a better eye on our surroundings. And make sure that the kids who do not recpect the privalage to drive at the age of 16, get their licence suspended. And P.S.(That would ruin my life if I had to wait anyy longer to get my licence!)

By: 18 to drive

18 to drive — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:44:55 +0000

suzy, you may die if you don't wait@suzy

By: 18 to drive

18 to drive — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:40:29 +0000

The driving age should be changed to 18, at least. Most kids today look forward to being able to drive and feel strongly against it because that’s the way it’s been for so long. Wha! Boo Hoo! I am sick and tired of seeing these punks drive on the same road I am, most of them are on the phone, oblivious to what’s happening on the road. Just yesterday I was almost hit by a girl doing her makeup, she seemed to be about 16 or 17. In reply to some of the teens, how do you know for sure that you haven’t broken any laws while driving? Are you that much of an authority on the driving laws to know? You probably passed a test of 20 questions that anyone with half a brain could pass. I have driven in many different countries, including the americas, europe and the middle east. The worst of the younger drivers are here. In Europe you have to be 18, the course is 3 months from 8 am to 4 pm. Once you finish the course and you have your license, you are on probation for 2 years. any minor infraction and you have to take the course over again, and pay a ticket. This includes talking on the phone while driving (automatic 6 months loss of driving privileges regardless of age) more serious infractions have the license revoked. After that when you get the license back you are on probation for 4 years. In this training you are taught what to do in case of emergencies, how to drive in different driving conditions, minor automotive knowledge and they go more in depth about the driving laws. In total they spend about $2500 to get the license. If you fail the class you have to take it again. So, first, the kids pay attention to the class, they learn what to do and the laws. They guard their driving privileges like it was gold and they are in way fewer wrecks than they are here in the states. If teens had to go though all that to get a license, I am quite sure the quality of drivers would get better and the death toll would go down. It’s not just about drinking and driving, resourceful kids can get booze if they want, unfortunately. Some of these deaths are mainly attributed to immaturity carelessness and lack of experience before they are set out on the streets. This is an issue that should be pressed and passed into law. Sorry teens, you just don’t see the whole picture just yet, you may seem to think it’s unfair… stomp your feet complain and cry me a river, at least you and possibly someone else will wake up tomorrow.

By: framma

framma — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:52:40 +0000

I agree the driving age should be changed, and the reasons it is not have more to do with the romance of the automobile, the lack of other transportation options in many areas of this very large country, and maybe economic pressures as well. In addition, driving is a lot of fun, so no one would willingly give up that right. There are actually sophisticated studies of brain development (using neuroimaging – e.g. by Judy Rappaport, M.D., and colleagues, at the NIMH) that show that maturation of the areas of the brain responsible for attention, impulse control, and presumably judgment, to adult levels, really only happens by 21 years of age or thereabouts. Doing some ’stupid’ things when one is in the middle of their teenage years just comes with the territory. Every age has its abilities and limits. For example, we don’t let toddlers eat with steak knives. Now the only remaining thing to be honest about is that sometimes, Grandma and Grandpa shouldn’t be driving either, and they are rarely asked to provide proof that they still can.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:40:35 +0000

@Ashley There are young drivers out there that don't drive dangerously, but that alone is not enough. It's better to fit the majority than the individual. It is a shame that younger drivers, like myself, would get our licenses taken away, but better to get my driver's license removed but save lives.

By: suzy

suzy — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:37:48 +0000

@kid i know i will die i cant wait til 18

By: suzy

suzy — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:36:51 +0000

kids should be able to drive at 16 because they cant get drunk because they cant buy alcohol so they should be able to drive at 16 and not change the age thats not fair! so dont chnage it its not a good idea