Raising the Minimum Driving Age
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“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States.”
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“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States.”
Over the last decade, teenage car crashes and teenage deaths have increased significantly. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States” (McBride). This ...view middle of the document...
Decision making is a big part of being able to drive safely and if you cannot make good decisions then you should not be out on the road.
Teens are able to acquire a driver’s license at the age of 16 in most US states. The majority of teenagers take advantage of this and feel that once they turn 16 they are entitled to a driver’s license. In her article for The Boston Globe, Miss Rodriguez stated that “There’s no way that some of these kids should be driving. They turn 16 and they think they have the right to drive” (Rodriguez 1). Everybody – regardless of age – must earn their right to drive. It even says in the handbook you study in preparation for taking a driver’s permit exam that holding a driving license is a privilege. If you abuse this privilege then your right to drive should be taken away from you. All drivers must be responsible when out on the road. This mindset of teens feeling that they are entitled to a driving license just reflects how immature they really are.
Aside from the United States, most other countries do not allow their teens to obtain a driving license until they are 17 or 18 years old. The age of 18 is best for obtaining a license because most teens have graduated high school by, or around, their eighteenth birthday. Teens experience a lot of stress that stems from issues in school or with their peers. Stress impacts decision making skills and if a teen has already graduated then they will most likely not have these stressors. Therefore, their driving will not be affected. Both parents and school officials have come together to help try lifting the minimum driving age to at least 18. ...