Driving is a complex task that requires good judgement and split-second decision making. Unfortunately, many teenagers lack the experience and maturity to handle the responsibility of driving. This was tragically illustrated in Melbourne, Australia last month when a 17-year-old girl drove a tram into a busy intersection, killing five people and injuring dozens more.
In light of this tragedy, some are now calling for the legal driving age to be raised from 17 to 21. Proponents of this change argue that it would give young people more time to develop the skills and judgement needed to safely operate a vehicle.
Others, however, believe that raising the driving age would be unfair to responsible teenagers who are eager to get behind the wheel. They argue that 17 is the age at which young people are legally considered adults, and they should therefore be able to make their own decisions about driving.
All people in the United States are required to have a driver’s license before they can drive. The age at which you can obtain a driver’s license is 17 years old in the United States. Everyone tries to get their driver’s license as soon as possible since it will make life easier. If the driving age is raised to 21, the number of deaths on roads would decrease, and drivers would be safer. Teens text while driving, putting themselves and others in risk.
They are also more likely to get into car accidents because they’re inexperienced. If the driving age is raised, it will give teens more time to mature and become better drivers.
The most common argument against raising the driving age is that it would be an infringement on personal freedom. Driving is a privilege, not a right. The government has the power to regulate who can drive and when they can drive. Raising the driving age would not deprive anyone of their personal freedom because they would still have the opportunity to obtain a driver’s license when they turn 21. Moreover, raising the driving age would make roads safer for everyone.
Teens are putting themselves in more dangerous situations. They’re also incurring more injuries. Teens aren’t aware of the consequences of driving. They have parties and drink, and when they drive intoxicated, there’s another accident waiting to happen.
Distractions while driving can include anything from loud music to conversation on cell phones, which teenagers may be susceptible to. Furthermore, they haven’t fully developed their frontal lobe section of their brain, which is responsible for weighing risks and making judgments.
So many states are now thinking of ways to make it harder for teens to get their driver’s license. Some propose raising the driving age, some propose a mandatory waiting period, and some propose that new drivers have to display a special decal on their car identifying them as a new driver.
However, there are also arguments against raising the driving age. Driving provides teens with independence and responsibility. It also gives them a way to get around without having to rely on parents or friends. In addition, many teens need to be able to drive in order to participate in after-school activities or get a job.
There is no easy answer when it comes to the question of whether or not the legal driving age should be raised to 21. However, it is important to weigh all of the pros and cons before making a decision.
Every adult’s worst fear is having a teenager driver on the road. The driving age should be raised from 17 to 21 in order to mitigate some of the negative consequences and risk factors associated with teenage drivers. Both parents and other drivers are afraid to share the road with youngsters because of their lack of experience and maturity.
Driving is a complex task that requires good judgment, perceptual skills, and motor skills. The fatal crash rate for 16-17 year old drivers is nearly twice the rate for 18-19 year olds, and is almost four times the rate for drivers 20 years of age and older. In addition to raising the Driving Age there are other ways to make our roads safer such as: harsher penalties for speeding or reckless driving, more emphasis on driver’s education in schools, and finally mandatory drug and alcohol testing for all drivers involved in accidents.
Adolescents are not ready to handle the responsibility of driving at such a young age. “The prefrontal cortex–the area of the brain responsible for judgment, decision making, and impulse control–is not fully developed in adolescents.” This is why you see so many more car accidents with teenagers. They are more likely to take risks and make impulsive decisions without thinking about the consequences.
In a study done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, it was shown that “sixteen-year-olds have crash rates nearly three times as high as drivers 20 and older.” This is a very alarming statistic and should be taken into consideration when making the decision of whether or not to raise the Driving Age.
There are many other ways to help make our roads safer without necessarily having to raise the Driving Age. One way would be to enforce harsher penalties for speeding or reckless driving. This would show adolescents that there are consequences for their actions and help to discourage them from taking unnecessary risks.
Another way to make our roads safer would be to place more emphasis on driver’s education in schools. This would give teenagers a better understanding of the rules of the road and how to properly operate a vehicle. Finally, mandatory drug and alcohol testing for all drivers involved in accidents would help to ensure that those who are under the influence are not behind the wheel.
Furthermore, statistics of accidents reveal varying rates of young drivers between the ages of 16 and 19. Young children are frequently distracted and ignorant to road hazards, yet they don’t typically wear seat belts or follow traffic rules and regulations. Furthermore, alcohol intake is one of the primary risk factors in young teens since they drink and drive, resulting in road accidents.
Teens are at a higher risk of car accidents than any other age group. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident than adults. And while there are many factors that contribute to this statistic – such as inexperience, recklessness, and impulsive behavior – one of the most significant is simply that teens are more likely to take risks when behind the wheel.
There have been a number of high-profile car accidents involving teenage drivers in recent years, which has led some people to call for raising the legal driving age. In 2013, for example, four teens were killed in a tram accident in New York City. And just last year, a 17-year-old girl in California caused a multi-car pileup that resulted in the death of two people.
So, should the legal driving age be raised to 21?
There are pros and cons to this argument. On the one hand, raising the driving age would likely reduce the number of accidents involving teenage drivers. Studies have shown that teenagers are more likely to take risks when behind the wheel – such as speeding, not wearing seat belts, and drinking and driving – and so removing them from the roads could theoretically make them safer for everyone.
On the other hand, there are a number of practical considerations that would need to be taken into account if the driving age were raised. For one, many teens rely on their parents or other adults to drive them to and from school, extracurricular activities, and work.
If the driving age were raised, this would put a significant burden on parents, who would need to find other ways to transport their children. In addition, raising the driving age could have a negative economic impact, as it would prevent teenagers from being able to get jobs that require them to drive.
There is no easy answer to the question of whether or not the legal driving age should be raised to 21. Ultimately, it is a decision that would need to be made by lawmakers after taking into consideration all of the potential implications.
