US drivers license age

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by Enmos, Jan 1, 2010.

?

Raise the US drivers license age from 16 to 18?

  1. No, lower the age!

    1 vote(s)
    10.0%
  2. No, 16 is fine.

    3 vote(s)
    30.0%
  3. Yes, raise the age from 16 to 18.

    5 vote(s)
    50.0%
  4. No, raise to an even higher age!

    1 vote(s)
    10.0%
  1. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    Would it be a good idea to raise the age from 16 to 18?
    And why, or why not?

    Drivers that have their license for less than 5 years, please don't vote.

    Edit: This is about drivers licenses for regular cars.
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2010
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  3. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    no no no! I saw it was locked. LOL
    what did you do??? LOL
     
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  5. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    I thought I could add a poll while it was closed, so I wouldn't get people posting here while there wasn't a poll yet.. Turns out that's impossible

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  7. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    25,817
    In Nebraska, you now can get a learner's permit at 14 and a school permit at 15. If you drive a vehicle on a farm or work for a farm, you can get a special permit at 13.

    Oh, and my kid's can't get a driver's license til they are 18 unless they take classes at school. Then they can get one earlier, but only for driving to school or school related activities.

    There are so many many rules.
     
  8. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    Ok, but what about regular driver licenses (I updated the OP

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  9. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    33,264
    18 would be better, that way they would at least have a little better judgement and control of themselves when they are drunk.
     
  10. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    23,049
    enmos, as the TAC (victoria) said get your Ls as soon as possable and bager your parents relentlessly for practic ("its ok to nag your parents to let you drive" was the actual slogan) and P's as late as possable. The more time you can spend with an experianced driver in the passanger seat the less likly you are to end up on the appaling statistics for p-platers killed
     
  11. Asguard Kiss my dark side Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    23,049
    p-platers do and should have a zero blood achole limit here. Drink driving is bloody stupid, adding inexperiance into that is even worse
     
  12. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    10,296
    I agree. (I've had mine 50 years.) At 16, their brains have simply not matured enough to fully handle the responsibility of driving.
     
  13. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    25,817
    well, we were legally allowed to hunt deer with a loaded gun at 10
     
  14. jpappl Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,985
    I think it should be raised to at least 18. The reason is, I was a freaking maniac behind the wheel at 16 and 17 and 18 and 19, I just couldn't drive 55.

    I think that they could tie it in with grades, like in school sports, Get good grades, show responsibility, get to drive.

    Most insurance companies offer a good student discount for grades above 3.0, the reason is they have the evidence that those students are more responsible drivers.

    The problem is boys. Young men are rarely capable of not wanting to impress with driving, especially with others in the car.

    17 year old kid all hopped up on testosterone driving a car, disaster waiting to happen.
     
  15. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    10,296
    I'll second that, 100%!!
     
  16. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    23,053
    Before I vote, I'd like some statistics and some info. Like, ...of all the young drivers on the road, what's the percentage that cause problems? If it's just a small percentage, then "punishing" all young drivers for the actions of only a few is not nice.

    My experience tells me that young drivers aren't nearly so bad as we like to think. The media makes a big stink out of some horrific accident and everyone reacts with horror. But the reality is ....what is the reality? Are all younger drivers really as bad as "they" want us to believe?

    Baron Max
     
  17. John99 Banned Banned

    Messages:
    22,046
    I think in some states the age is 18. I got my license at 16.
     
  18. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    I posted this link earlier in another thread.
    http://www.car-accidents.com/teen-car-accidents.html
     
  19. WillNever Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    2,595
    Here in New York you can't drive if under the age of 16 and you get only a junior license until you are 18, prohibiting you from driving past 9 pm.

    I wouldn't be opposed if people could drive only to work and school until 18.
     
  20. Enmos Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    43,184
    That's still driving. The OP is talking about raising the license age to from 16 to 18. Meaning you cannot get your drivers license before age 18.
     
  21. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    25,817
    But why?
    Here in the US they can drop out of school at 16 with parental permission
    Join the military at 17 with parental permission
    Get married at 15 with parental permission

    We allow them to raise their children at 16, but not drive??
     
  22. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    25,817
    That's how it is in the states that I know of. Not all states have school buses to get their kids to and from school. And considering all the cut backs in school funding, I bet more schools lose bus routes
     
  23. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    23,053
    That site listed the following: Stats. Teenagers are about 10 percent of the US Population but account for 12 percent all Fatal Car Crashes.

    Is that 2% enough to change laws and driving rules, etc? I don't think it is. Yes, it's a lot of people dying, but 2% is a very small percentage on which to base laws and rules that restrict the freedoms and rights of the other 98%, don'tcha think?

    Baron Max
     

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