Poll: In the States you can have a drivers license at 16. That is much too young.

[Eggsnham]

I just got back from the DMV because I had to renew my plates and as normal it was packed to the brim with people. What was abnormal, was that about 70% of them were teenagers there with their parents. As I looked around at them, not one of them looked older than about 15 or 16.

Then I thought of something that happened to me the other day in which I was driving merrily along, minding my own business (as best you can when you are driving) and this little Sedan was ahead of me in the lane to the left. We were coming to a red light and I started to put on my breaks when it suddenly lurched to the side and swerved into my lane. Had I not already had my foot on the break pedal and applying them, I would have mulched the back of that little car and more than likely neither of us would have walked away from it. The car missed me by literally about 2 feet and then swerved back into its own lane and straightened out before coming to a stop. As I pulled up next to it, I couldn't help but look to see who was driving.

It was a 16 or 17 year old girl and, I shit you not, she had her phone to one ear, a tube of mascara or something in the other and was looking in the rearview mirror as she was applying it. One knee was resting on the bottom of the steering wheel and the other leg looked like it was operating the pedals. I was so shocked and stunned that all I could do was stare at her until the car behind me beeped his horn because the light was green. Then off she was again, driving with her knee.

The kicker is that this isn't just a one time thing. I see teenagers do stupid things behind the wheel all the damn time, whether its showing off for their friends or just being an idiot. They don't seem to realize that more often than not, if they cause an accident, it will be the other person who pays a bigger price. I did my fair share of stupid things behind the wheel when I was in high school and looking back now (I'm 21) I will be the first to tell you none of us were ready for that responsibility.

If you're too lazy to read all of that, basically I decided that 16 is too young to drive because I almost died the other day thanks to a stupid 16 year old girl.

If you live in the States, what is your opinion? If you live outside the States, what is your opinion? How does it work where you live?

Being a sixteen year old American, I say no.

There will always be stupid people doing stupid things, their age only seems to matter if they happen to very young. And because of these stupid people doing stupid things at a young age, I get to suffer for it. Please don't say that this should extend into driving. I know you almost died from a stupid person doing stupid things, but honestly, I've seen middle aged women doing similar things on the road. Quite a bit actually. That said, I can't help but feel that this thread would have a very different debate if the person in your story was a middle aged woman.

Besides, people need to learn how to drive eventually. The more we raise the age limitations on things, the more people tend to look down on people below that age.

"Eighteen year olds drinking?! Even though I was legally able to drink when I was eighteen, I suddenly feel that anybody below the age of 21 drinking alcohol should be thrown in jail!"

That basically sums up a conversation I had with my mom once. It's slightly off topic, but supports my point regardless.

Now I'm off to bed, it's too late (actually early, at this point) to be rambling about driving.

 

[GraveeKing]

In -EVERYWHERE- you should take not just a test to get your license to prove you can drive but also prove you're NOT AN IDIOT. What kind of nutter drives while applying makeup and talking on the phone?! That isn't because she's young (or a women driver - DON'T SAY IT you damn trolls!) it's because she's clearly an idiot.... Well. When she crashes and dies at least I can smile and say 'well that's natural selection doing it's job once again for you.'

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

That driving kids are unsafe is a statistical law. Even in the age of 18-21, even compensated for less driving experience, many more accidents happen on average. Actually, while I was in that age, the only way to drive a car, was to put the insurance on my mother's name. In my own name, I would've had to pay about four times as much a month, because I'm male and was between 18 and 21.

In Australia it's the same, license at 16 although it varies state to state on L's and P's etc. To this though I am the same. I'm 20 and own my own car, but I have to register and insure it in my mums name because the premiums are just too high even though I've never had a crash and am on my "full license."
Get's a little annoying when I get pulled over "whose car is this" "mine" it's not registered to you" "*sigh* my mums..."

 

[Pegghead]

When I was 15, a series of absolutely stupid circumstances and misunderstandings that I won't get into left me in Nashville, Tennessee while all of my family was moving to Michigan. I had to drive across state to get to my family before they had to leave. This was my first time driving, and it was fucking packed, what with it being the heavily populated tourist-trap of the state, and during rush hour. I had never had any training or experience, aside from a loose knowledge of the rules of the road and my common sense (and my time spent playing video games). I made it fine.

That said, I really don't think age is THAT much of a factor. It's more of aptitude. I feel we should have somewhat more restrictive driving tests, but I guess the system is perfectly fine as is.

That sounds like an EXTREMELY interesting story. I know you don't want to get into it but even just the cliff-notes sounds like it would be a good yarn.

 

[bobbymac023]

The driving age is fine. It allows people who are actually adults at the age of 17-18 to provide for themselves. I'm from New Jersey which has the 16= permit to drive with parent, 17 = restricted license, 18 = full license. This seems to work fine in my opinion.

As a side note I'm 22 and have totaled my car 3 times. Twice my fault, but since I don't drive a little crappy car I came out of all three accidents without even whiplash. If your are scared of driving on the road with 16 year olds then buy a bigger/ safer car.

 

[sdfasdfhfgfgjtyisdgdfdfj]

Learning driving before learning how to cope with alcohol? That seems very odd to me. Drinking age is 16 here, driving age 18. Now I am not saying those ages are the 'right' ages, just think that the order of learning seems more logical to me.

And yeah, I doubt 16-year olds have the insight necessary to safely drive a car and understand the (horse)power they possess beneath their asses.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Age isn't a factor that should be considered. You should be thinking about maturity. While this is linked to age, yes, they aren't the same thing.

 

[Guitar Gamer]

Canada here (yes the entire country, that is what I meant) And in British Columbia the driving age (to get a learners) is 16, you have to have that L for a year without any trouble nbefore you get you can drive unsuperfized, er........ not sure if that was redundant to say but whatever I like clarity.

I find that 16 is just fine to drive at, people can be more than capable to drive at that age.
The fact that some are irresponsible does not justify raising the age. Grante dmy opinion may be biased because the fact that I would have to wait quite a bit longer to be able to drive to work and back is quite disconcerting.

 

[JochemDude]

I personally think age has nothing to do with it, raise the standards at driving schools to make sure ONLY people who can drive get a license.

 

[LordFisheh]

I personally think age has nothing to do with it, raise the standards at driving schools to make sure ONLY people who can drive get a license.

This.

But also, something I've seen as the people at my school got their licences is that even at 17 people still have the 'derp I can make go fast lol' mentality. I wonder what ages is needed before that crap goes away, because from the accidents and near accidents I've heard of, that tended to be a factor.

 

[TheNibiro]

Well, as much as I would like to agree with you, there are equal amounts of 'grown-ups' that just feel invincible in their cars and start driving irresponsibly.

I always have to remind my mother to STOP USING THE PHONE when she is driving.

 

[notimeforlulz]

You can't punish all people of a certain age just because some of them are utter retards. You just need to get the police to revoke people's drivers licenses instead of giving out warnings.

Why should police target bad drivers? If I went walking down the street swinging a sword with my eyes closed I'm pretty sure I'd get in trouble, driving a car like an idiot is the same thing.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Learning driving before learning how to cope with alcohol? That seems very odd to me. Drinking age is 16 here, driving age 18. Now I am not saying those ages are the 'right' ages, just think that the order of learning seems more logical to me.

This is fairly easy to explain, would you rather people are able to drink at the same time they are allowed to drive, or sober younger drivers?

 

[Sammaul]

she had her phone to one ear, a tube of mascara or something in the other

 

[Cowabungaa]

I'm fine with the age as long as you pass the test, said test should just be a lot harder to weed out idiots who don't belong on the road.

The thing that really boggles my mind is how learning how to drive is handled in the States. The fact that it's expected of you to learn from one of your peers. Practice outside of a specially rigged instruction car without a specially trained instructor?! Are you mad?! I would've wrecked myself and others at least 5 times already if my driving instructor hadn't intervened.

Learning driving before learning how to cope with alcohol? That seems very odd to me. Drinking age is 16 here, driving age 18. Now I am not saying those ages are the 'right' ages, just think that the order of learning seems more logical to me.

This is fairly easy to explain, would you rather people are able to drink at the same time they are allowed to drive, or sober younger drivers?

Sober teens...yeeeeaaaaah... Mind you, I'm not agreeing with the other guy.

 

[EightGaugeHippo]

16 is fine. Its only a year under what it is here.

 

[sdfasdfhfgfgjtyisdgdfdfj]

I'm fine with the age as long as you pass the test, said test should just be a lot harder to weed out idiots who don't belong on the road.

The thing that really boggles my mind is how learning how to drive is handled in the States. The fact that it's expected of you to learn from one of your peers. Practice outside of a specially rigged instruction car without a specially trained instructor?! Are you mad?! I would've wrecked myself and others at least 5 times already if my driving instructor hadn't intervened.

Learning driving before learning how to cope with alcohol? That seems very odd to me. Drinking age is 16 here, driving age 18. Now I am not saying those ages are the 'right' ages, just think that the order of learning seems more logical to me.

This is fairly easy to explain, would you rather people are able to drink at the same time they are allowed to drive, or sober younger drivers?

Sober teens...yeeeeaaaaah... Mind you, I'm not agreeing with the other guy.

As I said, not saying 16 and 18 are good numbers. Just the order in which you learn to cope with the other.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

I think by 16, the majority of people are responsible enough to drive a car.
That said, I can understand why some oppose 16 year-old drivers...