Lowering the Driving Age: Why We Should. | Teen Ink

Lowering the Driving Age: Why We Should.

October 16, 2009
By Kalina Krabel BRONZE, East Setauket, New York
Kalina Krabel BRONZE, East Setauket, New York
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

All over the country, teens are learning how to drive and using this skill in everyday activities. Whether it’s driving to school, work, or running errands, a car always comes in handy to make daily tasks easier for the entire family. When you are still in high school, independence on the road is important. This is one of the many reasons that New York State should consider lowering the driving age.
Not only will this grant young Americans to learn the rules of the road earlier, it will teach them responsibility at an early age and they will fully benefit from this alteration in the law.

In other states all over America, many teens have the opportunity to get their full license at age 16. In the state of New York, you are only permitted to get your Learners permit at 16. Not only is this an unfair advantage for the teens of New York, it gives New Yorkers less practice, and is unreasonable. Many of the driving laws in the United States vary from state to state, but I think it is important that we see a unity in the rules of the road. If one state allows a full license at age 16, this law should be carried over to the all other states.
Of course teens should be thoroughly tested before receiving a driving license of any kind. A suggestion that would help both the law and teens would be to test teens at age 16, but at a high level of expertise. If they could pass this grueling driving exam, they will be granted their full license. This test would include multiple choice, writing, and a road test in which the test-taker must show the state that they have control on the road. The only way to become a better driver is to practice, and study the rules of the road. If you are committed to these things you should be granted the right to drive. If at any point, this licensed teen driver fails to follow the law, a license suspension can be enforced, guaranteeing safe roads.
As a teen personally impacted by this law, I do believe that if you can prove that you are a safe driver, you should be granted the right to exercise your abilities on the road. It is obvious that not all teens are ready to drive at 16, which is why a more demanding test would separate those who are ready, from those who are not. It would make life a lot easier for parents, as well as teach responsibility to teens all across the US.



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This article has 37 comments.


_____ said...
on Apr. 13 2015 at 10:23 am
Maby there needs to be a background check and recomendations before getting license

MCBeast said...
on Apr. 8 2015 at 11:17 am
sure i wanna drive it teaches young people on how to become grown ups and learn how to be responsable

Poplina said...
on Mar. 24 2015 at 9:10 am
I see where you're coming from, people that are intelligent enough to understand and pass the drivers test should get a licence. But the license age should definitely not be LOWERED more than 16. in 2011, 2,650 teens were killed in car accidents and 292,000 were injured and put in the hospital. They may be intelligent enough to pass the test and around the adults to drive properly, but once they are around friends they tend to underestimate the dangerous situations they could be put in while driving. teenagers under the age of 16 aren't mature enough to drive. yes there are the few teenagers that could be mature enough but im talking about most of the teenagers.

kaiman said...
on Dec. 5 2014 at 12:42 pm
i want to drive

bilbo said...
on Jun. 24 2014 at 8:47 am
Maybe the age should be changed to the limit at which people can spell correctly. (Just saying)

someone said...
on Apr. 29 2014 at 12:38 pm
this is a good idea because teens are working around lawn mowers

kayla99 said...
on Mar. 31 2014 at 10:53 am
i know people should do this more often and make it a law to wear people who are in 8th grade can drive them sleves to school instead of taking the stinkey old bus to school and riding with people you dont like.!!!!!!

kiara said...
on Mar. 26 2014 at 2:28 pm
ya im 13 and i mean i already know how to drive around my yard and so do alot of people i love this idea.

lexiloo505 said...
on Jan. 30 2014 at 10:42 am
Okay but obviously it's a thought with a LOT of back up thats generally correct! Lol.

lexiloo505 said...
on Jan. 30 2014 at 10:40 am
Okay, I see what your saying but not all teenagers are dumb? Like the ones that are raised in the country usually start driving around 10 or 11 secretly like me. It teaches you more responsibility and I got my license right when i turned 16 and I am a great driver so I do belive that it doesn't matter how old you are, it just matters about the experience you have. Even Drivers Ed teachers believe that too. It Commen Sense really...

on Nov. 19 2013 at 9:11 am
your right

on Sep. 22 2013 at 7:52 pm
thank you sooo much i have been trying to say that

on Sep. 3 2013 at 9:19 pm
i love ur idea

on May. 21 2013 at 1:13 pm
in social studies i am doing a debate on rather the age be lowered or raised, and i believe it should be lowered to taking drivers ed at 13 and getting your licence at 14 or 15. most kids already drive so why not take drivers ed now and get your license or at least your permit instead of having to sneak around just to drive.

on Apr. 16 2013 at 1:20 pm
u got that right  

babygirl2144 said...
on Mar. 6 2013 at 3:43 pm
I dont know what you guys think, but i think that the driving age for teenagers should be raised to atleast 17 or 18. this is because most teenagers need to learn how drive somthing besides a car so they know how to opperate one. if teenagers just start driving a car with there permit they are going to have a good chance of wrecking the vehicle because of no experience with driving.  

lgfgkhkfr said...
on Jan. 16 2013 at 1:20 pm
you guys don't post  real info its just your thought!!!!!!!