"should the driving age be raised to 18????"?

Ben Linus

I don't think so. Kids at 18 with no prior driving experience will drive just as crazy/poorly as kids at 16 with no prior driving experience. You've got to get driving experience at some point to get better at it, and I know I wasn't any more "responsible" at 16 than I was at 18.

I really like Alilbi's idea of having something on cars of new drivers to alert others that they are inexperienced drivers. Where I live, drivers who get DUIs get slapped with what we call "Whiskey Plates" that look significantly different from normal license plates. The purpose of the whiskey plates is to point out to police when a known DUI offender is in the area. (People with whiskey plates can also be pulled over by police at any time for any reason since they have the plates...but that's another thing entirely).

I think "Under 18" plates (like flourescent green or orange plates etc.,) to warn others of inexperienced drivers would be helpful to both new drivers and to everyone else who has to share the roads with them.

Alibi

No, I don't think so. However I do think that new drivers need to be restricted to one passenger at a time, have a no-tolerance rule on speeding excessively, a no tolerance rule on cell phone use while driving, and have to have a huge banner or stickers on their windows to let other drivers know that they're a new driver.

I would like to say yes and no. I would propose to have teenagers start to drive with parents or legal guardians only from 16 - 18 years of age. This gives them two years of learning how to drive and how to become a safe and defensive driver. Then they get kicked loose and can get a probationary license until the age of 21. This would allow the courts to further monitor their driving and impose more severe penalties on bad drivers such as driving restrictions and suspensions until they correct their behavior.

dirtytricksracing@sbcglobal.net

Yes because it will save life's. Kids brought this on them selves with their irresponsible driving.

UCANTCME

Yes...................

JULY 2008

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year olds.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 3,490 drivers in this age group died in motor vehicle crashes in 2006 and an additional 272,000 were injured.

Drivers age 15- to 20-years old accounted for 12.9 percent of all the drivers involved in fatal crashes and 16 percent of all the drivers involved in police-reported crashes.

Twenty-five percent of teen drivers killed were intoxicated. In 2006 (latest data available) crashes involving 15 to 17 year olds cost more than $34 billion nationwide, in medical costs, property damage and other costs, according to an AAA analysis.

Among licensed drivers, young people between the ages of 15 and 20 have the highest rate of fatal crashes relative to other age groups, including the elderly.

In fact, the risk of being involved in a fatal crash for teens is three times greater than for drivers age 65 to 69.

Immaturity and lack of driving experience are the two main factors leading to the high crash rate among teens.

David S

No...

When trained properly, a 16 year old has all the maturity needed to drive a vehicle safely. Certain restrictions should be applied, and penalties could be increased, such as making it easier to lose or suspend the license.

The fact of the matter is that it doesn't matter whether you are 16 or 18 when you start to drive, most people will get nervous the first few months and are bound to make mistakes.

Keep in mind too that younger drivers strengthen the economy through driving. Fuel, insurance and extra trips to the mall all turn into better revenue for society in general.

Our current system is pretty terrible, at least here in AZ. You should have to complete more than a 15 question test and a 5 minute drive to get out on the open road. Both the young and the old should be tested to ensure to the rest of the population that they are fit to drive, because ultimately, your health depends on their ability to drive.

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