Poll: In the States you can have a drivers license at 16. That is much too young.
- Thread starter Jacco
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There are shit drivers of all ages. Trust me, take a driving course and you'll see just how bad pretty much everyone is. Cell phones while driving are illegal in my province, but it's still pretty common to see someone in their 30s or 40s talking away behind the wheel. Making driving courses mandatory I could see, but raising the age won't do anything.
My answer is no and I am an American.
The reason I say this is because it's not just teens who do this stupid multi tasking shit while driving or drive with their knees. My sister is in her 30s and she's very good at it. Both things. My brother has seen her eating at the wheel and using her knees so her hands are free.
And she likes to drive fast. Not to mention she talks on the phone while driving all the time. It's just not fair to lump some of the stupid ones with those that aren't stupid. That's my position.
The reason I say this is because it's not just teens who do this stupid multi tasking shit while driving or drive with their knees. My sister is in her 30s and she's very good at it. Both things. My brother has seen her eating at the wheel and using her knees so her hands are free.
And she likes to drive fast. Not to mention she talks on the phone while driving all the time. It's just not fair to lump some of the stupid ones with those that aren't stupid. That's my position.
Not to drive. But I think what we have in Australia works best, where you're on a Learner permit for 12-24 months and you must drive with a fully licensed supervising driver for 120 hours before you can apply for your solo driving license. You can apply for that at 16. So I don't think it's too young to drive full stop, but it may be too young to drive by yourself.
It's not even the age though, it's the maturity of the driver. Loads of people over 25 would be worse and less responsible drivers than the girl you saw. So by reducing the age, you solve nothing, really. People will still be shit drivers regardless of age
It's not even the age though, it's the maturity of the driver. Loads of people over 25 would be worse and less responsible drivers than the girl you saw. So by reducing the age, you solve nothing, really. People will still be shit drivers regardless of age
I would like to withhold judgement. In my particular state, you don't actually get your license until you're 18, though you can get a permit (and legally must drive with someone over 25 who already has their license) at 15. It is, indeed, true that the majority of accidents are caused by teens, however, if the age limit was raised, the highest accident rate would still be with the newest drivers. Also, I seriously doubt the inanity of the drivers decreases significantly from 16 to 18, and therefore accidents caused by some little dipshit showing off for friends or talking on the phone while applying makeup will not likely see a decrease.
I know it's a major cop out, but age is a totally arbitrary and ineffective means of determining responsibility. There should be some BETTER way of determining how likely someone was to do stupid shit while driving.
I know it's a major cop out, but age is a totally arbitrary and ineffective means of determining responsibility. There should be some BETTER way of determining how likely someone was to do stupid shit while driving.
I'm 26 and I honestly see people in their 20's and 30's do even more dumb crap and to a greater degree than I see teenagers do. Have you ever been on or near a college campus? Some of the worst driver's I have ever seen on the road are ones with greek letters on the windows, because they are members of some fraternity or sorority. I'm not saying being part of a frat or sorority is what makes you a bad driver but those letters sure do make you stand out more. I also can't count how many times I have come out to my car or my friends car or even just walked by cars on campus and see them dented because someone ran into it and left the scene. I have seen my fair share of horrible teenage drivers, but 20's still take 1st as being the worst.
It's not a matter of age. Idiots on cell phones will always be idiots on cell phones. I'm 17, had my license since 16, and I admit I did have some close calls, but that's true for anyone driving for the first time. The trouble is that there is such a variety of people for an age group, you cannot base it on such a thing.
This is interesting. What I'm seeing in these replies is that for the most part, the more mature sounding posters are for raising the driving age and the younger sounding ones are against it. That's about what I expected but its interesting to see it actually come to fruition.
I'm not sure how it works in America but here in Aus you can get what are called L-plates at the age of 16. When you're on them (and they're the first step towards getting a license) you need to have a license-holder in the car at all times, you have physical plates on your car to symbolise that you're a driving noob, you can only go a certain speed so on and so forth.
Basically it goes like this until you get around 120 hours of driving under your belt (but an hour of driving with an instructor counts as like three hours or something) at which point you move up to P's, where you have physical P-plates but you can drive on your own with some regulations on speed and passengers until you go another number of hours (then you're onto a full license).
Personally I think the system we have over here works pretty well, most drivers can avoid L-platers (who are under constant supervision anyway) when they see them and it's a good way to work your way up to a license. I myself am up for L's in September so here's hoping no escapists (or anyone) get into a head-on collision with noob-driver Pegghead!
Basically it goes like this until you get around 120 hours of driving under your belt (but an hour of driving with an instructor counts as like three hours or something) at which point you move up to P's, where you have physical P-plates but you can drive on your own with some regulations on speed and passengers until you go another number of hours (then you're onto a full license).
Personally I think the system we have over here works pretty well, most drivers can avoid L-platers (who are under constant supervision anyway) when they see them and it's a good way to work your way up to a license. I myself am up for L's in September so here's hoping no escapists (or anyone) get into a head-on collision with noob-driver Pegghead!
The problem is that there is close to no public transportation in the US. For example, as a German living in Hamburg, there is just no need for me to get my driver's license. Public transportation serves me fine and gets me places much quicker and cheaper than driving myself. Buses and trains usually are not crowded despite this being the second largest city in the country, and reach pretty much everywhere. And if everything else fails, you can just rent a bicycle (it's free for up to 30 minutes and all you need to do is walk up to a terminal and push a few buttons) and just ride that to your destination.*
When I lived in the US - admittedly, in Southern Maryland - for a year, I had to rely on people driving me everywhere, for there was simply no alternative way other than walking, period. Also, nearly no one owns a bicycle. At least that is my impression. I am not trying to say the situation in the US is 'worse' per se, though - as acquiring a car seems to be much easier and simpler than it is here. What I am trying to say is that, for the lack of decent public transportation (other than school buses) especially outside the larger cities, it would be highly impractical, albeit safer, to bump up the driving age to 17 or 18.
* - disclaimer - it should be noted that this applies to Hamburg, specifically, not to all of Germany. However, as even most of the rural areas are in some way or another included in an alliance of local public transportation providers centered in the nearest metropolitan area, I would still say that public transportation is far more widespread.
When I lived in the US - admittedly, in Southern Maryland - for a year, I had to rely on people driving me everywhere, for there was simply no alternative way other than walking, period. Also, nearly no one owns a bicycle. At least that is my impression. I am not trying to say the situation in the US is 'worse' per se, though - as acquiring a car seems to be much easier and simpler than it is here. What I am trying to say is that, for the lack of decent public transportation (other than school buses) especially outside the larger cities, it would be highly impractical, albeit safer, to bump up the driving age to 17 or 18.
* - disclaimer - it should be noted that this applies to Hamburg, specifically, not to all of Germany. However, as even most of the rural areas are in some way or another included in an alliance of local public transportation providers centered in the nearest metropolitan area, I would still say that public transportation is far more widespread.
As an American who didn't get a license till about 3 months before my 20th birthday, It is too young. Most teens where I'm from can barely walk and THINK at the same time, let alone operate a vehicle. Then again, I also have small panic attacks whenever its not me or my father driving so maybe I don't count.
16 seems fine to me, but I think they could make the tests harder. I took it at 16 and found it rather easy. I'm 17 now and without my license I wouldn't be able to get to school or my job. Which is another problem, around this age people start looking for jobs and it could make it difficult for them without a car, especially if they live in a small town.
Its called Physics. You are thinking the relative forward speed you are traveling would be transfered the her car and vice versa. that is completly wrong. simple experiment for you to do next time you are in a car traveling at 40 mph. clap your hands. If your line of thinking is correct then both of your hands would get broken because they are traveling forward at 40 mph. Since they do not get broken unless you have one hell of a clap then maybe the reason is quite simple, both hands are traveling forward at the same speed and direction so that velocity is negated and the velocity that matters in the impact is the one where they are moving towards each other. way below 40 mph. the same thing would happen to the two cars.Jacco said:
Oh and BTW I was in an accident where the car ahead of me in the other lane swerved into my lane and hit me. It was at 70 mph and the damage was my front fender and headlight needed replacing, and the other car needed a rear fender and tailight replaced. It is a very common accident really as well as one thats more of a nuisance and insurance pain in the ass... you know what they tell you in drivers ed? always check your blind spot before changing lanes?
Oh If you noticed i did state she probably wouldve spun out because she wasnt holding the steering wheel or paying attention. plus her lack of experiance.
*edit
Go to the local amature races, you know the ones with the dented up cars going around a half mile oval for 10 laps. you will see that type of collision atleast a dozen times. and maybe one causes a spin out.
In Australia the driving age is 16 BUT until you pass a test and have been driving for a year, you have to have a fully licensed driver sitting next to you. Almost everyone I know got their license at 16 and I only know maybe 2 or 3 people who act like idiots while driving. A few of them have been in accidents but that was either not their fault or a mistake they made due to inexperience. I doubt raising the age will stop anything. The idiots will always be idiots and for the others they'll still have the problem of lack of experience no matter what age they start at.
I don't think it should be raised based on the isolated incident you encountered.
There are plenty of 16-17 year olds that I know that are more mature and responsible than adults. And in Australia, you can drive at 16 but you need to have someone in the passenger seat who's held a license for a few years.
There are statistics that show younger drivers have more accidents, but I believe this is because of inexperience in driving and not age. If the legal age was 20, you would still see similar accident rates in the newer drivers, they would just be older.
I feel that rather that lowering the age, make license more difficult to get to weed out those who are not ready. Anyone can get a licence in Australia as long as they can breath.
There are plenty of 16-17 year olds that I know that are more mature and responsible than adults. And in Australia, you can drive at 16 but you need to have someone in the passenger seat who's held a license for a few years.
There are statistics that show younger drivers have more accidents, but I believe this is because of inexperience in driving and not age. If the legal age was 20, you would still see similar accident rates in the newer drivers, they would just be older.
I feel that rather that lowering the age, make license more difficult to get to weed out those who are not ready. Anyone can get a licence in Australia as long as they can breath.
Here in South Australia you get get your learners permit at the age of 16. You have to have an adult with you at all times and you have to be on it for a year. After that when you're more experienced you get your provisional license where you can drive by yourself. It seems to work fairly well. I will admit that I am still scared of the year 11's at school driving.
I say more training should be required before being allowed to drive.
Luckily I've driven pretty much only land yachts, so I driving like an idiot is not an option if you want to survive. Screw up in one of those, and you aren't saving it (I found out the hard way the term land yacht fits when my car sailed like a boat into a semi during a rainstorm).
Luckily I've driven pretty much only land yachts, so I driving like an idiot is not an option if you want to survive. Screw up in one of those, and you aren't saving it (I found out the hard way the term land yacht fits when my car sailed like a boat into a semi during a rainstorm).
