Many teens cannot wait until the day they turn fifteen and a half, because that means they can drive. They may even go on that exact day to take a quick thirty question test, and that’s it.
These children will now be on the roads. Even with a parent by their side these young student drivers are not prepared to be on the streets. Considering the numerous accidents each year, why would we want to set these young kids up for failure when they are obviously not ready for this major responsibility. People under the age of eighteen should not be allowed to drive.Some may say that by giving teens the ability to drive at a young age will help them mature. Which is good intentioned, but puts so many people in danger. By waiting until people are eighteen we can rest assured that every driver on the road is already mature enough to be there. At the ripe ages of fifteen and sixteen the brain is still developing.
Teens are minors for a reason they are not emotionally or intellectually prepared to be living on their own, so why should they be driving alone. It doesn’t matter if these kids score well on testing, driving is real world experience that these teens are not prepared for. Good judgement is not something that can be understood and learned until the brain is fully developed. (Gregory) When in a bad situation it takes a mentally ready and stable person to know what to do. Teens are not capable yet of making sound decisions in a quick manner. Fifteen year olds are known for making rash decisions based on the fact that they are going through puberty. Young drivers might not possess adequate skills that would help them avoid dangerous situations when they arise.
(Matuszczak) One in five, sixteen year-old drivers will have an accident within their first year of driving . Things have only gotten worse with technology and distractions since then. Being a teen myself I know that the weight of school and other family struggles is already challenging enough, let alone driving. Taking driving classes can over way school classes as well.
The youth range from ages thirteen to age seventeen and this group often make quick decisions without thinking, this can affect driving. In 2014 sixteen year olds had a higher crash rate than any other driving ages.( 11 facts about) It doesn’t help that the process in the US to get a temporary license or driver’s license is way to easy. (Gregory) If we are going based off of the law, people are not counted as adults until age eighteen. Therefore, why are we allowing children to drive? In most states the legal voting age is eighteen.
If the law thinks you are not at mental capacity to vote until age eighteen then why should you be allowed to drive. There are even statistics to back up the position that raising the driving age would make a huge difference and save so many lives (Gregory). At the end of the day children are still children and passing one test is not enough to put all of the people on the road in danger. Kids can wait until they are mentally capable to drive. If by waiting a few more years to drive saves more lives than it’s worth the wait.
Let’s make sure adulthood can no longer be determined by one test.
