Should the government up the age of drivers to 21?

Question

Should the government up the age of drivers to 21?

ok I know I will get flack for this.

But I been driving now for about 10 years from the age of 17 to 27 as I have gone older I have notice I’m more aware of the road and things going on around me. Plus,
I have gone a safer driver when I was 17 that’s all I cared about was speed speed speed and impressing others.

I never give a rats *** about people around me I think I was way to young to pass my test at that age and I admit it now I was a d**k at 17


I have known many good friends who have died in car accidents plus I think they was way to young to drive.

think 17 is way to young, after all a car is a lethal weapon, and it might ease congestion a little on the roads also more people will be using busses and that’s a good thing as it put more money in to the economy, and helps with the environment and also less road deaths .

Ok so what do you all think?

I’m sure you all got different views to me :-)

Answer 1

I am in total agreement with you, not only would the road's be safer but there would hopefully be less cars on the road, increasing the age limit would be more effective than increasing road taxe's or gas prices.

Answer 2

Has anyone stopped to think that maybe the reason that there are more accidents and such at this age level is because it is also the age at which they are ALL brand new drivers. Go ahead and up the age to 21 and you will see that the majority of the worst drivers will become 21. I agree that there should be a refresher course maybe a year later but lets have them say, every five years after that as well. That might also help weed out the drivers that get complacent over the years in their driving as well. I am 30 now and some of the people I know are scarier drivers now than they were when they had just started driving and were still worrying what Mom or Dad would say if they got a speeding ticket.

Answer 3

I am a traffic engineer and I have spent a lot of time studying traffic crashes. First of all they should not be called accidents, when over 60 percent of the time people are doing something that caused the incident. Less than 5 percent of all crashes are actually accidents.



I agree that there are more crashes in the younger age group, which is exactly what everyone expects. New drivers do not have the experience to respond to changing conditions as they navigate the highways. Unfortunately, this would happen no matter what age you started them driving. In fact, some studies conducted on drivers of different age groups that had not previously had a drivers license for whatever reason showed that they were more likely to be involved in an incident. I do not think that raising the age limit is going to improve statistics. I also do not think that raising the driving license threshold to the legal drinking age is a good option. If that were to happen then kids would be waiting till they turned 21 so that they could drink, and drive.



There have been some States that have offered graduated licenses and they have shown some statistical improvements. Some states have also reduced the number of occupants in a new drivers vehicle which has significantly improved statistics.



The funny thing is that the crash statistics also show elevated crash numbers as well as fatality numbers for old drivers. Why do you think this is? and should we treat them just like the kids?

Answer 4

I would have to say no they shouldn't. I started driving when I was 17 also and I would not chalk it up solely to age as it is more a combination of age and experience.



Let's take drinking as an example. Many of us myself included over did it when we reached the legal drinking age; however, as the years pass by most of us are not as compelled to over do it as much at some point it is not every weekend it becomes every other weekend and so forth.



We learn by trial and error. Yeah you may speed a bunch of times and you may run red lights and stops signs, but at some point you are going to get a ticket or worse get into an accident. The first time you have to pay your own car insurance that is some unbelievable number, because you have a boat load of tickets or because you have an at fault accident on your record you will learn to be more attentive.



Not to mention there are a lot of jobs out there that would be impossible to fill if you had to wait until someone was as old as 27. EMS, Fire, and Police officers are just a few.

Answer 5

Your absolutely right! I think turnin' a youngster loose today at age 17 is a tad too young. You have to remember way back when......when we got our license at age 16. You could drive down a highway at 10pm for 50 miles and never see another car. Today? Ya can't go 50 feet at 3am and not see multiple cars. Also I honestly think a 17 yo back then was alot more mature than a 17yo today. I can also remember a 17 got his can busted if dad thought it needed to be. Usually it was because I needed it. Now days, how many 17 yo have you heard of gettin a spankin? Never. Now with that in mind, today, a 17 yo's biggest fear is not being able to play video games or be on the net. It all goes back to the 'home'. If a 17 has 'chores' to do, does them well, their school work without having to be told, etc, I think they are responsible enough to drive under adult supervision. In MO you can get a learners permit at 15 years and 6 months. However, the teen cannot drive unless a fully licensed adult is in the car with them. Then they can graduate to a student license. This allows them to drive daylight only and only at night for school functions, (IE: Ball games, etc.) Then at 17 they can graduate to a full fledge drivers license. They still cannot obtain a CDL until age 21. Which is good in some cases. I can remember driving my dads truck (Semi and two trailers) at age 14, down the highway from the field to the coop. Doubt you'd see that today.

Answer 6

i agree with what you're saying about people who are younger getting in more car accidents, but i think that has more to do with their lack of driving experience than their age.



I remember when I first got my license. I was excited to be able to drive, and therefore took more risks. I got in a few minor accidents, thankfully nothing serious.



But I relate that more to the idea that driving was a new, exciting experience for me, not to the fact that I was younger. I live in New Mexico, where the driving age is actually 16, and I've seen plenty of mature, responsible teenagers who are cautious and safe. Sure, everyone gets in an accident at some point or another, but you learn from your mistakes. And once driving is not so "cool," but just an everyday habit, it becomes safer.



Bottom line: even if the driving age was raised, there would still come a time for a new driver to get their license, and they still would be inexperienced. I don't think raising the age would help.

Answer 7

I think the laws regulating drivers licenses should be stricter. In my state, Texas, the legal driving age is 16 and at 15 you can get a permit or hardship license. In addition, if your parents sign a form at the license depot, you don't even have to take a road test. (My parents did this for me as did the parents of almost all my friends.) So far, I have been in four minor fender benders (under $500 in damage) and as of tonight, one serious wreck, (totaled the front of my car) all within a year and a half or receiving my license. I absolutely think there need to be harsher regulations in place for teen drivers but upping the legal driving age to 21 seems extreme, especially because many parents rely on teen children to help with errands, siblings, ect.

Answer 8

Two of my 3 children had accidents before they were 21. Thankfully, they were not seriously hurt.

But even with those experiences, I would rather drive in a vehicle operated by someone under 21 than one driven by someone over 70. Whenever I see that little wheelchair on a license plate, I stay at least 4 carlengths away. I have had older drivers stop dead in front of me, back up without looking in shopping malls, and driving forever with blinkers going. And when they park, that door swings ALL the way open no matter what the traffic situation. They should know better.

Answer 9

I agree. However, we won't ever get laws like those that you propose, so we have to learn how best to deal with the fact that young drivers are inexperienced, immature, poor judges of their own capabilities, poor judges of their car's capabilities and limitations, feel invincible, love speed, are easily distracted, are statistically prone to accidents, and often disrespectful of the laws and other people's rights.



So, here's a solution. Anyone under 21 must drive special 2-cylinder speed-limited cars that holds only one passenger, that don't have radios or stereos systems, won't run if the smell of alcohol is detected, have full-surround air bags, have massive shock-absorbing rubber bumpers, have GPS tracking systems and electronic collision avoidance systems. The cars would only travel in special highway lanes specifically for teens.

Answer 10

I'm 17, and I've had my license about a year. I'm a safe driver, I pay attention and don't speed. I realize how dangerous it is to myself and other to drive fast and recklessly, but most of the people at school don't. Like you said, all they care about is speed. Raising the age would be unfair to responsible drivers like myself, but a good idea for the idiots I know. I wish there was a test for maturity.

Answer 11

i completely agree....i also think the legal age for sex and drinking should be raised to 21.

driving wise, when i ws a young lad and people passed their driving test, the best they could hope for was an 'old banger', these days the kids can get credit for a brand new motor, this is usually followed by a chip upgrade to make them even faster.

at 17, most people will include themselves here i reckon, sense goes out of the window.

getting to work on time?

yeh, we had to do the same, without cars and without relying on others, i got two sons and i sometimes wonder how i used to get around the amount of times they 'need' a lift to places i would walk or get public transport.

also, years of driving for a living taught me one thing, 'loonies' come in all ages and sizes, the worst drivers by far were the 'suits' in the company cars followed by the shaven headed gorillas that watch until you get close then pull out right in front of you and stare in the rear view waiting for a reaction from you.

if the police really want to cut down on daft drivers then they should head out in a white van nd they will see where the real idiots are.....i have seen a bloke using his laptop while driving on the motorway, women with 5 or 6 kids in the car, no safety belts, parents with the kids sitting on their knees in the driving seat, again, no safety belts....countless people of all ages with a mobile fone to their ears (right hand to left ear while trying to negotiate a roundabout), a complete lack of indication, taking the shortest line heading to a roundabout only to try and cut in so they can try to get in the correct lane meaning traffic has to stop to let them in.

all these people should be able to get an instant 3 month ban if caught.

i can understand the problems in rural parts of america/australia/canada etc, having drove round oz it is essential to have your own transport in places.....but in the UK, a bus ride is usually all that is needed.

Answer 12

it all depends on the driving instructor he/she can teach good road safety and become a great innfluence on that driver i myself do just this i make driving a fun thing but keeping safety in mind at all times my greatest successes have been a deaf woman a 16 year old disabled driver and a young man with no legs i took a lot of pride in my achievements of these young people,i also teach them to be courtious on our roads.i went to the test centre today with a woman to take her test and i was telling her what was about to happen just going over everything i had told her before the other instructor who was there at the same time was too busy on his phone i kept my pupil occupied she passed her test first time the other person failed i wonder why i think i give my pupils confidence to do the test and pass

Answer 13

I got my license when I was 16. It helped my parents out so much... it kept me in sports and theater. I would not have been able to do them if my parents had to drive me anywhere. Also, working a part time job can be difficult if you have to depend on other people to get you there (especially if your parents worked a full time job as well). 21 is way too old... because when you're 18, you're probably going to consider a full time job or going to college... and it's going to be your own responsibility to get there on time.

Answer 14

I strongly feel that the legal age should be increased to something like 21. I also think the everyone should be re-tested every 5 years attheir own expense.

Answer 15

In the UK, the minimum age should be 70.

Then they could take down all those silly speed-cameras, and give really, really old people a chance to cross the roads unaccompanied.

Answer 16

Surely if your old enough and responsible enough to work, and join the army to fight wars, then you would have to be also to drive. How would young people get to work etc. On the buses and trains, yeah pull the other one. I really don't think there's any alternative to letting them drive. Unless they allow them to drive only little two seater noddy cars, that are restricted to 29 MPH. With P plates attached.

Answer 17

Keep it at 17, but reminder tests should be performed again a year after passing for anyone under 21 to check they've no bad habits.

Answer 18

Yes they should, same for drinking and smoking, too many youngsters have no idea of responsibility at the age of 16 and 17 and have been cocooned in the safety of their parents and school.

Answer 19

It's not a terrible idea, hey our insurance will down a little (i'm 21) however the bad point maybe the car crime rate will go up a little

Answer 20

noway people need to get about and it's easier to drive but the young and careless may take advantage of this and go for a joy ride so it's both a good and bad idea

Answer 21

Keep your opinions to yourself- There are many parts of these United States where young people need to drive.



Urban areas can pass their own laws for their area but most of us certainly are not going to live by your hairbrained standards.



Raise your kids your way and do what you think is right and leave the rest us alone!



Rural Parent

Answer 22

I agree with you :-)