Poll: In the States you can have a drivers license at 16. That is much too young.

[TyrantGanado]

Heh, I'd hate to see someone try to knee-drive in this country since we need at least two feet to operate the pedals since we drive manuals like men. If you have three legs, then go straight ahead you mutant. Automatic gearboxes actually frustrate me due to the inability to change gears on a whim.

Anyyyway on topic I'd say you need stricter driving exams rather than an age increase. I see people in their mid 20s who fail at driving yet I've been driving since I was 17 and the only accidents I've had are two supermarket car park scrapes.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

I live in the United States. I got my driver's license at 16. That was about ten years ago.

I've never been involved in a collision, I've never run a red light, I *always* use my directional (even in parking lots, which apparently most people don't seem to think are deserving of using one's directional), and I've never been pulled over for speeding. My driving record is, as of today, spotless.

So yeah, I think 16 is fine. Some people are just dumbasses. I've seen middle-aged people doing stupid shit in their cars just as frequently as younger drivers. And don't even get me started on elderly drivers. When a teen runs a red light, hits another car, and kills the driver... suddenly everyone's up in arms to revoke driving privileges from teens. But when an elderly person runs a red light that he or she couldn't see, proceeds to go up onto a sidewalk, and mows down fifteen pedestrians.... meh... whatever.

 

[Sandernista]

Most people I know learned how to drive before they were 15, but don't go and get their license till they turn 18. (That way you don't have to pay $200 for a class on something you already know how to do.)

 

[brendonnelly]

In Australia, you need to get your Ls at 16, where you can only drive with somebody who has a Full drivers licence. After you have driven for 80 day hours and 20 night hours, and a full year has passed since getting your Ls (you may only go up to 80km/h on your Ls) you can get your Ps (Provisional) who can only drive 90km/h and on their own. When you have had your Ps for 3 years, then you can get your full licence. (after 1 year on Ps youu can go 100km/h.
I think this is the way to go, as you get really experienced drivers at the end of it. The addition of a parent in the car means very little risk of accident (statistics show that L platers are the lowest car accident rate)

 

[lSHaDoW-FoXl]

You're never too old to be stupid. I bet if it was a twenty year old you wouldn't think that age group is too young - you'd probably just blame the driver alone. And in short, I believe that completely summarizes my belief. Just because someone's sixteen it doesn't mean they're stupid. No, sixteen isn't too young. It doesn't matter whether you try to stop them from driving a car until their 16 or 18. Because either way, a moron will still be a moron, regardless of what age.

Afterall, last time I checked most people that watch Fox news aren't very young. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

 

[drisky]

They put a lot of restrictions on you until your 18, this gives a nice transitional period that forces responsibility. At 22 I don't have my licensee, this is because I put it off in high school, but once I got to college I had no time to get it and no one to help teach me. Raising the age will not magically make someone a better driver, it will only make them older when they finally get it.

 

[thecourtlibrarian]

Coming from a small town where you NEED a car to function, being able to drive as soon at age 16 is a huge deal. However, we have an incredibly high mortality rate among the 16-20 year old group-- texting and driving, drinking and driving, smoking pot and driving...you name it, and I've been in the car with a young driver who's done it. (Hell, I've even texted a few times on the back country roads. /shame) I think there needs to be better education (our drivers ed was a few week long course with one old lady droning on about stop signs), but barring that, the age really should be increased.

 

[Hungry Donner]

I live in the US, I'm 29, and I don't have a problem with getting a driver's license at 16. I'll even add that I'm not a fan of having lots of additional restrictions for drivers under 18, in my opinion if you can get a license you should have a full license.

However I don't have any problems with increased punishments for drivers under 18 (or even under 21). Specifically I think it's entirely reasonable for younger drivers to have fewer points on their license so serious offense is likely to get their license suspended, and it doesn't take many minor tickets to reach that point.

There are a lot of responsible teenage drivers out there and they shouldn't be punished for the idiocy of their peers. However every ticket those idiots wrack up should sting, so I think it's reasonable to remove their license after a minimum number of offenses.

 

[Brian Hendershot]

I'm in favor of raising the driving age and lowering the drinking age. Maybe we will have less drunk driving accidents....

 

[blizzaradragon]

Having been driving for a few years now(I'm 20 years old and from the States), I will admit that some teenagers are retarded when it comes to driving. However, from what I've noticed its the teens who don't have the proper teaching that drive like idiots. What I think should happen is Driver's Ed should become a requirement for getting your license instead of just a recommendation. Besides, I'm sure everyone would enjoy getting the discount on their insurance that most companies give people who complete Driver's Ed anyway.

On a side note though, I see a lot more older people doing stupid stuff like that then I do teenagers. I think that the older drivers get in the mindset of, "I've been driving for so many years, I can handle multitasking while I drive." All in all enforcement of laws such as the law against talking on your cell while driving need to be enforced more.

While we're at it make it so after you reach a certain age you have to retest to make sure you can keep your license. Especially with old people, they're driving is deteriorating faster than any other age group.

 

[Radeonx]

I see people who've been driving for years do stupider shit then that, so taking isolated incidents and forming opinions solely based on those is kinda dumb.
With that said, teenagers are fucking stupid and they shouldn't be driving at 16 anyways.

 

[Baradiel]

In the UK the driving age is 17, but on the Isle of Man the driving age is 16, and every single one of my friends who drives is a brilliant and safe driver.

It's possibly to do with the way people are taught. Here, the lessons are intense and people will be failed for doing one thing slightly wrong (half a foot too close to the centre of the road, that sort of thing)

I have no idea what the situation is like in America.

 

[Lord_Gremlin]

In Russia it's 18. Still too young IMO.

 

[Dense_Electric]

Stupid is not determined by age. I've seen people in their 30's and 40's pull far stupider shit than that (and I'm not talking reckless, I'm talking just plain lack of common-sense retarded), while I never had so much as a fender-bender in my first year on the road.

Besides, the laws in most countries are 16-17 anyway, there's hardly a significant increase in average maturity level there.

 

[spartan231490]

Funny thing, I see people doing stupid things behind the wheel, regardless of age. Yeah, teens have higher accident rates, but that's partially because they're learning. If you push the age back to 18, it's just going to shift most of those accidents into the 20s. And teens need to drive, do you know how many kids go to college when they are 17 or sometimes even 16? In my experience, someone who isn't mature enough to handle driving at 16, won't be mature enough to handle driving before they are at least 25, and this is a problem with individuals, not the driving age.

 

[Dense_Electric]

Yeah, teens have higher accident rates, but that's partially because they're learning. If you push the age back to 18, it's just going to shift most of those accidents into the 20s.

^ ^ ^ Also this. ^ ^ ^ People in their first year or two on the road just aren't as experienced, age has nothing to do with that.

 

[Blue_vision]

I'm 17 in Canada, and I haven't started with my Driver's license. In Ontario, we've got this coolio graduated licensing system, where you start with a learner's permit after doing a written test which you can get once you turn 16, then you wait a while before you do a driving test to get your G2, and then you wait a bit longer, and you get your full G license. It works pretty well, and it does end up treating Driving more of a privilege than a right.

I think the big issue is that in a lot of North America, it's seems virtually impossible to get around without a car, which is a result of auto-centric planning. Since kids are expected to get more independent around 16, they do kind of need a way to get around, and driving's the only safe bet you can have in most places.

 

[LadyMint]

I believe driving is one of those things that you should gain confidence and experience in as early as possible. At the same time, I wish there was a more concrete/effective way of teaching responsibility behind the wheel. The scenario you've described is something I've witnessed in adult drivers, so I wouldn't limit the irresponsibility to teens. Hell, as a pedestrian, I have quite a few near-death experiences from drivers of all ages.

I couldn't tell you a good age for people to begin operating a vehicle, but I say the sooner they start learning to operate one responsibly, the better.

 

[jpoon]

I would say 18 at the very most for the average kid. 16 Was fine for me as I was always a relatively safe driver. I knew a lot of idiot drivers when I was a teenager and I'm damn near positive the idiocy level across the globe is only skyrocketing. I would say 18 should be the new 16.

For the extra stupid fucks, they wouldn't get their license until 21. Give them a 2 attempt rule at age 18 and if they fuck up two times on the written and driving tests they would have to wait 3 more years for their utter stupidity.