One of the most important things you can do when you get into the car is wear your seatbelt. One of my friends when the car she was in rolled over and she wasn't wearing her seatbelt. Her mom said she usually did wear her seatbelt. Please wear your seatbelt, even if you are in the backseat or it is just a short drive.

When you first start driving you're going to make mistakes regardless of how old you are.It's better to have a lower driving age so you can get a lot of experience/practice before you are off on your own.

Solecito wrote:

Not all teens drink when driving. Teens and adults do other things, like: putting on make-up, talking on your cellphone, eating, and I read somewhere that when a new teen driver has other people in the car, it's easier to get distracted. I don't think they should raise the age, but at least they could make some changes to the driving test. I agree with ProLife23.

As for teen drivers...I don't think raising the age is necessary. I personally would not want my teen to go away to college at the age of 18 with very little driving experience. I think driver's ed should be required in school before getting a license. (Where I live it there is no longer Driver's ed classes in school.) Education is key.

As for "old people" being bad drivers...sometimes this is true. I just think they should require vision, hearing, and driving tests (not written, but actually driving) often. The DMV should monitor their ability to drive.

Any way you look at it, it is not fair to label ALL teens or ALL old people as bad drivers.

I'm sorry Heroesdoexist07, I mis-read your message before, I thought you said that you thought that someone was irresponsible when infact you said that they were, I appologise. It's very admirable that you try to assume the best in people.

ProLife23

It may sound dumb, but maybe it's for the best.

Well, I'm just giving them the benefit of the doubt. I like to occasionally assume the best of people....or try to, anyway.

I don't know what those areas would be, ask the people who want to increase the driving age, they must have some reason.

Herosdoexist07, I don't think that you can really judge whether or not someone is responsible when you haven't met them, just read some of their views and opinions on the internet.

ProLife23

What would those areas be?

Actually, I recently finished both the 24 hours of classroom instruction and the 8 hours of driving mandated by the state of Ohio. In around a month, I'm going to test for my license. I think that the driving instructor should have to sign a release before his students test for their license; I hear that it's easy to pass the test while not really being ready for the road.

Solecito, I don't know where you live, but from my background that statement could not be more wrong. (Well, it could be, but only in L.A. or Detroit )

I've lived in both rural Massachusetts and urban Ohio. In neither of those areas are teens predominantly 'responsible'. Now, responsibility is a nebulous concept and hard to define. Solecito, I have no doubt that YOU, or even most of your friends, are responsible. On the other hand, far more than 50% of the people I know are not.

I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with Powerpeep. Ole!

Yeha making the driving test a little bit harder and making it focus more on areas where teen drivers would be more likely to make a mistake in. You should mention that to your governor or local media I have and I know how to contact the media I even have my local newspaper editor's email.

Maybe a good alternative to changing the driving age would be to make the test the slightest bit tougher, and to focus on areas where most young drivers make mistakes.

ProLife23

Powerpeep Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, you may think it is dumb to raise the age of
> driving from 16 to 17. It is true that teens can
> learn to become better drivers. But that is the
> bad thing about letting teens do some things. They
> abuse a privelege until they learn the hard way.
> Teens aren't the only ones like that, but they are
> the majority.
>
> Besides, you cen't learn to be a better driver if
> you're dead.

Well powerpeep,
You have a point, but why raise the age limit in getting a licence if more than half or the teens getting in accidents are under 16 and don't have a licence. If the teens had a licence it would help the cops iddentify them bettter and they would not have to sneal out so much. Plus most of the pplz under 18 are responsible and should not be punished for the actions of their peirs it would only drive them to do the same. It was just a thought.

ok. i was kidding about red sox fans.

but seriously, isn't the driving age a bit arbitrary too? i mean why 16? some states only license drivers at 17? is this because people in new york state are inhernelty more immature than people in conneticut?

and, isn't 15 the new 16? with video games (and our increased ability to maneuver machinery) and kids being oh-so saavy these days, shouldn;t teh age be going down, not up?

*speechless*

Get outta here!
Massachusetts, born and raised

i don't think red sox fans should be able to drive. can we trust them? poor fools.

Well, you may think it is dumb to raise the age of driving from 16 to 17. It is true that teens can learn to become better drivers. But that is the bad thing about letting teens do some things. They abuse a privelege until they learn the hard way. Teens aren't the only ones like that, but they are the majority.

Besides, you cen't learn to be a better driver if you're dead.

I have to say that I don't know all the statistics, but it's the school parking lot is very frightening to me. About 200 new inexperienced drivers in one parking lot showing off to their friends at one time. Scary!!

Old drivers do have increased accidents, but their Fatality rate is no where near youth statistics (18-24 yrolds are 7% of driving pop. but are in 14% of fatal crashes.). Old people end up creating fenderbenders NOT high speed crashes. And yes, the Yankees Stink. but mets rule

yeah...I was just in florida and i was with my grandma and her friends, and i noticed that their reactions were very slow, and they were running stop signs and red lights. HI NANCY YANKEES STINK

i feel like really old people cause a lot of accidents too. if the argument fo rthe driving age is that we cause too many accidents, then maybe once oyu hit like 60, you shouldn;t be able to drive anymore?

16 - 24 year olds = 20% of the total licensed population
and 20% of the total miles
But they cause 42% of all fatal atcohol related crashes.
(U. S. Dept. of Transportation and the N. H. Department of Safety.)

lol. yeah but you dont see adults going to these parties that teens our age do. I mean yeah adults go get high and stuff, but most adults are responsible and either dont drink alot or have designated drivers. Where as most of us, we dont really care either way, and go out and party and get drunk and high and DWI.

Its because adults have been driving a little longer than teens. Although i'm not happy with the age raise there are some PROS about it. Less accidents, but you also learn from mistakes if you experiance things rather than people tell you. Thsi isnt an easy topic to deal with.

i dont thinkjust because you are under age you dont have to go out and go drinking just to fit in and it is okay for adults because they know the risk kids now a days dont they are just doing it just to be cool and really they arent

i dont see your point i mean it s just as likley for adults to go out and get drunk and high and have wrecks as it is for us teens.i mean i know we are just learnin and everythin but still thats how everyone starts off.I mean i dont want to go around riding on my bike for another thousands of years(exagaration).

yes, it may be dumb, but it could also be smart if you think about it. I mean, there are so many teens under-age that smoke and drink. And by giving them a car at an earlier age, it increases the chances of people getting killed by drinking and driving. however i do see your point.