[Discussion] Raising the legal driving age to 18

[Livewire]

Originally Posted by Zoachu

I think it's unnecessary. I mean... what good/bad will it do?

Keeping immature and unseasoned teenagers off the roads where they can't hurt themselves or others isn't a good reason?

[Kura]

No, both are too old. By the time someone is 18, they can be out of highschool. Getting a full drivers license takes about a year (or at least it does in Canada) and I think it is silly to expect someone to try and find a job when they wont be able to have transportation. Not all places have busses, and not all people stay at home with their parents.

[Zoachu]

Originally Posted by Livewire

Keeping immature and unseasoned teenagers off the roads where they can't hurt themselves or others isn't a good reason?

Well like, if you're 18, unless you've been in school for a while, they're still "unseasoned".

[Slayr231]

I don't think it's as much age as it is experience and maturity. If the age was raised to 18, then the people will be just as new to driving as someone that is 16. Besides, at least in my state you have to go through a driver's training class that includes country and city driving in order to get your liscence at 16.

Not every teenager is irresponsible either. I'm 16 and when most people imagine a teenager's car they expect loud music, text messages, and basically a party. In my truck the party consists of, me driving with my Ipod set on a loop of my favorite songs plugged into the radio (quietly I might add), my friend with my Ipod playing games on there, and my brother passed out (sleeping) in the back seat. At least that how it was when I was shuttling us to school and back. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a pretty lame party.

As far as restrictions go, I say they are fair. For the first six months you can't have more than 2 passengers in your car, can't have hands free devices (for cell phones) at all, and you can't be out passed 1 am. to sunrise. If you have no accidents, these rules will be lifted.

[Kezius]

Where I'm at you start driving at 16. You have to past a 'test' just to be allowed to drive WITH an adult present at all times and only that adult in the car. After 6 months of that you get to take another 'test' with an guy how is more anal about proper driving procedures than you could ever imagine. If you pass that (80% fail on the first try usually) you get a nice new license with a big shiny 'N' on it, letting everyone how sees it know that you are not allowed to be out past 12am. And, yes, people rebel. But if you get caught you lose the license and have to retake the tests (which you pay for) after a year wait. For this 'N' to be removed you have to wait a year and take a driving school class that costs about 800$. So needless to say, 'young' drivers here are pretty good to be honest.. It's the people that have been driving 5+ years that worry me.

[droomph]

I rode with a teen driver once. It wasn't that bad tbh. He seemed to be as good as my mom in driving, and there were no cases of irresponsibility as far as I could tell.

So no, 15 1/2 / 16 is the perfect age imo. Because by the time you get a license it's probably more realistically 16 1/2, and then you can get some practice in for college and life so you don't completely humiliate yourself in college.

And besides, as many people have said on here and irl, alcohol for teens is stupid. It's for the "does your mother know you're out" kind of people. They think it's cool but in fact they're most likely on a road to lonliness and/or insanity. And besides most people (at my school at least) don't party heavily anyways. It's more of a college thing than high school teenager thing, so raising it to 18 won't do anything or make it worse.

[TRIFORCE89]

Originally Posted by Kura

No, both are too old. By the time someone is 18, they can be out of highschool. Getting a full drivers license takes about a year (or at least it does in Canada) and I think it is silly to expect someone to try and find a job when they wont be able to have transportation. Not all places have busses, and not all people stay at home with their parents.

I thought it was one year between each level of the graduated license? So... wouldn't you require two years to get a full licence?

[droomph]

Originally Posted by TRIFORCE89

I thought it was one year between each level of the graduated license? So... wouldn't you require two years to get a full licence?

Well either way, it's pretty embarrassing to not be able to drive to class (or get around) in college. Though a bike should work, you're a big boy now. You don't need no parents.

[Dartht33bagger]

I don't see how this would really do anything other than creating a new issue where 16 year olds drive anyways. Hell, when I was a sophomore in high school I remember a few kids my age going to court because they got pulled over driving on their permit (in Oregon you can get a permit at 15, which lets you drive a car if someone that has a drivers license over the age of 21 is present). Whos to say that more kids wouldn't just do this anyways?

Not to mention there are just people that are terrible drivers no matter what age they are. I have friends that I wouldn't be caught dead in a car with because they are such terrible drivers. They were terrible at 16, and they are still terrible at 19.

Originally Posted by droomph

Well either way, it's pretty embarrassing to not be able to drive to class (or get around) in college. Though a bike should work, you're a big boy now. You don't need no parents.

Honestly, this is a weak argument. I know plenty of people in college that take public transportation to school and work everyday - and that doesn't require a drivers license. In fact, my 31 year old lab partner last term did exactly that, and I don't recall anyone laughing at him for not driving to school.

[droomph]

Well I guess it's not so much embarrassment as it is inconvenience. For example, the nearest Gamestop where I live is two towns away. While I could just transfer buses over to there (our bus systems are all exclusively one city) it's not that easy to find a route that will let you do that, because they all have their own schedules. And while I could ride my bike there, it's too far to bike there (though you could argue that I just need more practice.)

All in all, the car is more convenient in a spaced out area like the Bay Area, at least. Like, if I was in Japan, riding a bike to work wouldn't be that bad because 1) distances are generally smaller because you're in the city and 2) usually all you need is in the same town/district, except for maybe a couple of novelty stores here and there.

[Plumpyfoof]

This topic was rigorously debated last year at my school.
You guys were talking earlier about the age for licenses in Australia before, well in Vic you get your learner's at 16 do 120 hours and when you turn 18 go for your red probationary license. But when you turn 18 you are now legally allowed to drink alcohol.
On two occasions I know of people (one close friend, other only knew of) on their red P's who have had serious accidents and were found to have alcohol in their system.

The problem here is not raise the age at which you can get your license but to raise the age you are allowed to purchase and consume alcohol. By raising that to 21 here at least it makes it harder for P platers to get their hands on it.

Other than alcohol the main contributors to road accidents are inexperience and fatigue.
So by lowering the age at which you get your L's to 14 or 15 to give more experience in the hands of an adult would prove much more effective. That and getting a good night sleep.

[Livewire]

Originally Posted by droomph

Well either way, it's pretty embarrassing to not be able to drive to class (or get around) in college. Though a bike should work, you're a big boy now. You don't need no parents.

The wonders of cheap, affordable, public transportation. That's the sort of thing you get when you pay taxes, but don't bother trying to get that through to Conservatives in state & federal legislatures.

[pleb]

I never go into a car that a 15 year old is driving because I don't trust them. It's probally good to rise the age law to 18.

[Livewire]

Originally Posted by TRIFORCE89

I thought it was one year between each level of the graduated license? So... wouldn't you require two years to get a full licence?

Here you can get you "Temps" as they're called at 15 1/2 years of age, and the full license only six months later at the age of 16.

[Toujours]

Originally Posted by TrAndyy

Isn't it true that teens are most likely to text while driving?
Isn't it true that insurance companies recognize that teens are the most dangerous drivers?

Do you think that's because of inexperienced drivers or teenage drivers? Do you have anything that backs up the theory that raising the age would lower accidents/create less dangerous drivers? I'm thinking something along the lines of a study that compares new teen drivers to new adult drivers.

[ShinyUmbreon189]

I don't think raising it would solve anything. People learn stuff from experience driving so if they do raise it to 18 how would a 16 year old know how to drive? I remember when I was 16 I wasn't the best driver, I've had my fair share of accidents but nothing major. I'm 20 now and seem like one of the best drivers where I live. I mean I probably ain't the best where I live because I live in a college town and they don't know the area but they drive like maniacs down here either way. I used to be scared to drive through tight neighborhoods now I feel safe driving through there. I mean come one, I got a 06 Chevy Cobalt with cold air and turbo so I'm used to driving fast. I actually got one not because they're fast but because I live in Chicago and it's a huge city and things are spread out and the highway is the fastest way and I need horsepower to get up and go lol. Tho sometimes I do like to drive really fast when I know the area and know there isn't cops so I'm safe going 120 to 130.
Please don't try this without experience it's very dangerous. I drift around corners using E-brake too so I've learned a lot from experience. That's why they shouldn't change it.

If you up the age to 18 you would actually have more problems because there would be people 16 and 17 driving and getting in accidents so yea. There are just as dangerous adult drivers as teen drivers. It may seem teen drivers are worse but that is not the case. It's actually more 18-24 age with the most accidents cos of parties, texting, stupidity while driving, etc. So raising it wouldn't cause less accidents because starting at 18 is actually where the most accidents start at.

[gimmepie]

It's 18 in Australia and i have to say i think it works well, for this country anyway. Only 1290 lives were lost across the country last year, and i believe that making the age 18 is contributing to the low road toll.

In which state? Here you're eligible for L's at 16 and for memory red P's at 17.

Anyway...
Raising the driving age to 18 or even 21 is really not going to be effective for three main reasons.
1. Most of the people (at least around my neighbourhood) that get into major car accidents are either very intoxicated (at any age), about 18-22 or both. The majority being in the both category. I assume that this is similar everywhere but please correct me if I'm wrong.

2. You can be stupid at any age. Plenty of irresponsible drivers are in their 30's or even 40's, raising the driving age sure as hell won't keep them of the road so really it doesn't alleviate the danger.

3. Experience. The longer you have been driving the better you'll be at it. if you're 21 and have been driving since 18 you won't be as experienced as someone who is the same age but has been driving since 16.


This is for the soul benefit of anyone being confused by us Australians
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving...e_in_Australia

[Plumpyfoof]

Okay, so I have a question about driving in America.
When you turn 15 or 16 or however old you need to be to get a license, do you require any prior training to taking the test? (I assume there is some sort of test otherwise that would be crazy.) Like driving with your parents for a certain amount of time? Or is it just "Ohai 16 I go driving nao?"

[MetalBisonCopter]

I think that the age to drink alcohol should come before the age to drive a car, so they know what alcohol is like before they start driving.

[-ty-]

Originally Posted by Plumpyfoof

Okay, so I have a question about driving in America.
When you turn 15 or 16 or however old you need to be to get a license, do you require any prior training to taking the test? (I assume there is some sort of test otherwise that would be crazy.) Like driving with your parents for a certain amount of time? Or is it just "Ohai 16 I go driving nao?"

It depends on the state. Where I live you must pass a written exam and complete 40 or 60 hours of driving under the supervision of an adult 21+. I'd assume that most states have a similar set of requirements.

Originally Posted by MetalBisonCopter

I think that the age to drink alcohol should come before the age to drive a car, so they know what alcohol is like before they start driving.

Many people do drink, illegally, prior to obtaining their licence and it has no positive impact on deterring them from drunk driving.

[Guillermo]

Originally Posted by Livewire

Keeping immature and unseasoned teenagers off the roads where they can't hurt themselves or others isn't a good reason?

Honestly, if someone wants to drive like an idiot then the age that they get their drivers license is not going to stop them. Most kids aren't really hooligans, they just succumb to peer pressure from their mates. Especially in Aus, raising the limit to 18 would be the stupidest thing the Government could do. You can legally buy alcohol at 18 here, so they would be giving someone their license for the first time at the same age that they can legally purchase alcohol. That's the crappest idea to reduce road accidents I've ever heard.

Like I said, just because someone is 2 years older doesn't mean they'll be any less road smart. If they want to make people better drivers they should increase the hours they have to drive before getting their full license rather than the age they can start.

[SoulSilver10112]

I don't think so: if the age was 18, then the 18 year olds, being inexperienced, would get into more wrecks, then the people will complain to raise it again. Then the same thing will happen after they raise it again, and it keeps going.

[FreakyLocz14]

It should not be raised, 16-17 years old should have the same driving rights as legal adults.