Should the driving age be raised?

[BlissfulErin]

Do you believe the legal driving age should be raised? Select your choice and then post your reasons.

[thatstangspretty33]

I think they should raise the age, but I also think and know that some teenagers get there D.L at a very young age to take care of family problems etc.. I know one girl who got her D.L at 15 because she had to take care of her handicap mom.. and her mom bought her a 2004 yellow mustang convertible :) It was pretty, and she babied that thing until she moved to Chicago and then got a new car but it really just depends on the person. I do think that they should be in Drivers School for longer than 6 weeks. I waited til I was 18 to get my liences and I am thankful that I did. I got my dream car and insurance is sooo much cheaper!

[lawless]

i think the united states should be like the UK, make the exams a lot more difficult to pass. they make it -way- too easy for anyone to get their license here, not just teenagers.

i think if there was a mandatory more in depth driving school for all ages, we'd be in better shape... i can't tell you how many grown men and women i see driving sometimes worse than teenagers. it's a bit disturbing.

[meagan0716]

I don't think the driving age should be raised. When I got my license at 16 I depended on it and so did my mom. I passed the test. I do think they should make the test harder. The day I did my test I was in the room with like for other kids at different computers one of them said they didn't even study and still passed the test by just guessing. I missed 3 questions and that was with studying. I think they should make you do drives ed For the first year. Most schools don't offer it. Some do. I know my school did not offer it. Yes you spend a year on your permit. But you still need someone other than mom and dad teaching you. I know my parents drove me insane and made me nervous. I think that someone else would be less criticizing than parents.If it wasn't for my license at 16 my mom would of had a hard time getting to doctors appointments and getting me to work and to school and getting my sisters around to practices and things. So maybe if they make the test harder kids would study more and get what they deserve if they do study.

[MUSTloveSTANG]

i think the united states should be like the UK, make the exams a lot more difficult to pass. they make it -way- too easy for anyone to get their license here, not just teenagers.

i think if there was a mandatory more in depth driving school for all ages, we'd be in better shape... i can't tell you how many grown men and women i see driving sometimes worse than teenagers. it's a bit disturbing.

+1

And my mom was really undependable, so I really counted on driving to be able to get to work and get home from things. I know I would have been fine driving at 14, but there are others who shouldn't be driving at 20yo....it just depends on the person. I am more fearful of seniors who haven't had a test in who knows how long and on who knows how many meds. Not being judgmental here, my grandfather is one of those people who really should not be driving, but there is no way to tell him that or laws that say he shouldn't.

[lawless]

I am more fearful of seniors who haven't had a test in who knows how long and on who knows how many meds.

i agree 100% with that as well.. i see this happen all too often... or their reflexes just not what they used to be, and they end up not being able to stop in time and rear-end or hit people.

[Bart]

I fully support the idea of raising the age AND making the test harder. Of course on case by case basis with some younger ones that have to get it early that are forced to take care of their parents and so forth, but they should have to take a harder exam, drivers ed, and defensive driving course, if not something else. There are to many "entitled" people out there that think its a right for them to have a drivers license at 16 and they don't have a brain cell in their head to be able push the brake or the gas pedal and pay attention to things going on around them. Call me crazy or cynical or whatnot, but there should be something harder that they have to do to get the coveted license...

[BlissfulErin]

I don't really have an opinion on this but agree with Bart's thoughts, there is also a "hardship" license for those exceptions to the rule who need licenses, etc.

[Britt]

I MUST tell you guys, the DD course really helped me out. It taught me things that were not covered when I got my license, things I wish I would have known and things I think I should have known IF the license process was a bit more difficult.

The test is TOO easy. They really need to make major changes to it, and I say you should have your learner's longer. And I 100% agree, senior citizens NEED to be retested at a certain age, because honestly, sometimes they scare me on the road more than teenagers.

[MUSTloveSTANG]

something we should all keep in mind is the requirements and process varies greatly for each state. In Arkansas you can drive at 14 if you meet certain criteria (the hardship type thing). In IL the legal driving age is technically 18 but they have a some sort of graduated license, I don't remember how it works exactly and you HAVE to go to Dr Ed and have a permit for a certain amount of time and have so many logged hours of driving before they will give you a license at 16.

[Britt]

something we should all keep in mind is the requirements and process varies greatly for each state. In Arkansas you can drive at 14 if you meet certain criteria (the hardship type thing). In IL the legal driving age is technically 18 but they have a some sort of graduated license, I don't remember how it works exactly and you HAVE to go to Dr Ed and have a permit for a certain amount of time and have so many logged hours of driving before they will give you a license at 16.

Good point! Can everyone post your state laws so we can compare?

In VA, you can get a learner's permit at 16.5 years, and you must have 40 hours of driving time logged, then you can get your license at 16.

[jerseystang]

i got my license at 17 right before they went to that whole provisional license deal thank god, but like many said they need to make the tests harder because some of these people seem like they got their license out of the bottom of a cracker jack box.

[95MustangSally]

I also think it should be raised (with of course those exceptions to the rule). Here in Alberta you can get your "Learners" at age 14. You HAVE TO have a person with you (at all times when your driving) that is over 18 and has had their Operator License for more then a year. You also cannot drive between 11pm and 5am and can't have any alcohol or drugs in your system. Also you have pretty much NO demerits. So if you get a speeding ticket or such your license is taken away and you have to do the test again. You have to have your "Learners" for 2 years. So if you get it when your 14 you can get your license at 16. If you get it at 15, you can get your license at 17 (so on and so forth). Then after "Learners" you go for your "Graduated Drivers License". This one you do a road test instead of written. You also cannot have any drugs or alcohol in your system with this one. This license you have to have for a year. You only have 7 demerits out of 12 (I think lol). Then once you have that you go for your "Operators License". You do a road test for this one too.

Even with all that though, people still don't know how to drive here! So I think if they either raised it or made the tests harder it would be better for all of us lol

[Epic Red]

i think the united states should be like the UK, make the exams a lot more difficult to pass. they make it -way- too easy for anyone to get their license here, not just teenagers.

i think if there was a mandatory more in depth driving school for all ages, we'd be in better shape... i can't tell you how many grown men and women i see driving sometimes worse than teenagers. it's a bit disturbing.


I don't really have an opinion on this but agree with Bart's thoughts, there is also a "hardship" license for those exceptions to the rule who need licenses, etc.

+1

[xmoparxbunnyx]

In VA, you can get a learner's permit at 16.5 years, and you must have 40 hours of driving time logged, then you can get your license at 16.

*learner's permit at 15.5 years. :)

I remember when I went in for my drivers license test (when I was still in VA). I went straight to the DMV since I didn't take the behind-the-wheel course at my high school. Here's how the test went...

- Back truck out of parking space.
- Turn left to head out of parking lot.
- Turn right out of the parking lot and onto the road.
- Take the next right.
- Take the next right.
- Take the next right.
- Take the next right (back onto the street where the DMV is located).
- Turn right into the parking lot.
- Park the truck.

All while seeing a cop pulling out of a gas station with their coffee in one hand and talking on their cellphone. The whole thing took maybe five minutes...six if there was a tiny bit of traffic.

Who could fail that?! No wonder some people don't know what they're doing when they're driving on the roads!

[Epic Red]

^^^WOW, ours is much more to it, several of our DL testers have complained about having to pull the emergency brake because they were about to run a red light or stop sign. FAILED! one of my troopers was having to help over at the DL testing center and was out giving road test and the kid that he was riding with pulled out in front of a trooper AFTER the trooper giving the test said "don't pull out in front of that trooper" anyways it's pretty safe to say if you get pulled over during your road test you FAILED!!!

[Britt]

*learner's permit at 15.5 years. :)

I remember when I went in for my drivers license test (when I was still in VA). I went straight to the DMV since I didn't take the behind-the-wheel course at my high school. Here's how the test went...

- Back truck out of parking space.
- Turn left to head out of parking lot.
- Turn right out of the parking lot and onto the road.
- Take the next right.
- Take the next right.
- Take the next right.
- Take the next right (back onto the street where the DMV is located).
- Turn right into the parking lot.
- Park the truck.

All while seeing a cop pulling out of a gas station with their coffee in one hand and talking on their cellphone. The whole thing took maybe five minutes...six if there was a tiny bit of traffic.

Who could fail that?! No wonder some people don't know what they're doing when they're driving on the roads!

LOL, Sorry about that, just caught my typo!! :rofl:

I took my driver's test through a private company. The guy who I shared "driving privileges" with ran a stop sign and almost T-boned somebody, and the lady was just like "Eh"... and I was like, WTF lady, he almost KILLED us! Then again, for the week I took the "course", she had us drive her to the liquor store twice. Um, welcome to VA everyone! :duh:

[FD3S 4me]

i voted yes, souly based on my own experiences with my son's driving history, so I guess i don't have an unbiased opinion .....
i know some teens can be responsible drivers.. not many of my friends, with kids of driving age, have had any different of an experience as I did..

i have what's left of my son's first 4 cars parked at the end of my parts car line-up...
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii145/3tegstrong/xrannies%20parts/egdc001.jpg
all destroyed before he turned 18. (he's 21 now) i really thought making him buy his own cars would make him a more responsible driver and take better care of his cars too..
well, it didn't.
hind site is 20/20..
the state won't let a child get their license without parental consent & i should've witheld....

[MUSTloveSTANG]

Whoa! That's a lot of carnage in 2 yrs!!!

[Britt]

HOLY CRAP all of those before 18? I'd hate to know what THAT insurance bill is like, yikes!

[BlissfulErin]

Whoa! That's a lot of carnage in 2 yrs!!!

+1 :eek:

[FD3S 4me]

he's finally calmed down this past year, but i still don't sleep well at night! lol...
that's just the wrecks
didn't even mention the blown motors and tickets.. the day he went to boot camp, we tallied the fatalities.. by his fault: 4 totalled cars & 2 blown motor cars.
from 18-20, after he joined the Navy, he's blown 2 more.. one with naws & one was a 110 mile downshift to 2nd gear (missed 4th-stabbed second)
i think his insurance is over 300 a month right now..

I vote YES!

[BlissfulErin]

he's finally calmed down this past year, but i still don't sleep well at night! lol...
that's just the wrecks
didn't even mention the blown motors and tickets.. the day he went to boot camp, we tallied the fatalities.. by his fault: 4 totalled cars & 2 blown motor cars.
from 18-20, after he joined the Navy, he's blown 2 more.. one with naws & one was a 110 mile downshift to 2nd gear (missed 4th-stabbed second)
i think his insurance is over 300 a month right now..

I vote YES!

holy crap :eek: lol