What are your opinions on teens getting a licenses at 16?

Ale 🙂: What are your opinions on teens getting a licenses at 16?
I think it should not be allowed IMO. I think it is really dangerous for a teen to drive at a such an early age, Being a teen myself I strongly oppose this because way more teens then adults die on the road. “During the most recent five year period for which records are available, nearly 35,000 people died when a teenager was driving.”

What are your opinions on this?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Marianne
Depends on the maturity of the teenager,

Answer by Jim J
I got my license on my 16th birthday and I was driving on a permit since 15 1/2. It was a little young in my opinion. On the other hand, we didn’t have all the restrictions that exist now and all my friends and me survived.

Answer by Jill
My 16 year old daughter is a better driver than most adults!

It all depends on the maturity level and I can say honestly, there are many adults that should not be behind the wheel!

Answer by candlewicke v1.02
Many teenagers should NOT be driving. How many of them drink underage? Nope, it should be at least 18.

Answer by providesound
I think it’s fine. People have to learn at some time, someone learning to drive at 18 wouldn’t make much of a difference they still wouldn’t be very experienced. Maturity levels vary so much I think 16 is a good age. I also think it’s much more dangerous to have seniors driving…

Answer by someone different
I whole heartedly agree with you. Deaths due to accidents have stepped up to an alarming rate and for which the youth contribute the most. Hence, as you say it is really dangerous for a teen, who has lot more to see in his life, to drive at a such an early age

Answer by sabes99
well, considering i’m 16 and have a license i guess i have to disagree lol

seriously though, i see where you are coming from, it’s very dangerous for three main reasons…the first two you hear all the time about teens driving, and that’s the invincibility factor, that they think nothing bad can ever happen to them and it leads to recklessness, as well as the inexperience factor…the third major problem that i see is how cell phones have taken over our world, especially now since we don’t even have to talk on our phones anymore, we can text message…teens communicate so much with cell phones that they feel the need to try to multitask and talk or worse text while driving…i can live with people talking and driving because some people get used to it and they can handle it without trouble, but i haven’t seen one person good enough to text and drive without making even the most minor error driving…those minor errors could someday be fatal accidents

now the point against all of this is that 18 year olds won’t be any more experienced getting behind the wheel if the driving age is increased, which is true, but also there is a little more maturity there

Answer by Your Highness
I think it’s perfectly fine.

If people got licenses for the first time at 20, at 30, at whatever age, they are going to be a little…not good at driving for a while.

Besides, I graduated high school at 16. If I didn’t have a license and a car, I would have had to rely on my mom to drive me to college, and to my job, and to everywhere else I needed to go. I’m 17 now and getting my own apartment this summer. Again, without a car, this would be impossible (I live in a place where public transportation is nonexistent).

Answer by anoldmick
Too young and inexperienced. A learning permit is appropriate, but with restrictions: no driving at night, no driving with more than one other adolescent in the vehicle, and no driving at all without close monitoring. At 18, lift all but the prohibition against driving with more than one other adolescent in the vehicle at night. At 20, if the learner has had no moving violations (a parking ticket, no big deal) and no accidents whatsoever – then issue a full-privilege adult license.

Answer by mj69catz
First, the statement that you use shows no indication that more teens than adults die on the road. It simply indicates that 35,000 people died when a teenager was driving.

The difference here may not be maturity, or capability, but rather practice – a newer driver (and all teens are considered fairly new) does not have the practice and knowledge about what to do in an emergency. They are less likely to steer correctly to avoid a collision, and the collisions they are involved in are more likely to be serious.

My experience has been that many accidents by teenagers could be avoided by proper supervision and control by their parents. Knowing where and when your teen is driving is critical for parents.

Also, when you look at the “statistics” and they say “teenagers” they are not always talking about 16 year olds. Many times this includes anyone who is under the age of 20. So, increasing the driving age to 18 would still have a lot of “teenagers” on the roads.

Answer by riley4samson
well i also think it depends on the maturity of the child however I believe it also goes on the parenting. If you show your child how to drive properly and you allow them to practice frequently than I think 16 is a fine age. My niece just turned 16 and is dying to get her liscence. And she is ready she has been driving for practice in the country for two years now, she is ready. Other teenagers however may not be. I believe driiving school is always a plus too.

Answer by just me
i was 16 when i first got my licesne.. got my first speeding ticket at 16 or 17… never had a wreck until i was 19…
my opinion… if they know what they are doing perfectly, if there grades are passing, if they are mature enough, then yes, then liscense at 16… if even one of those is no, then no licesne at 16….

Answer by Somewhere I Belong =] ♫
I’m 17, and I’m mature in that I will never drink, let alone drink and drive. However, keep in mind that most teenagers are not like me. They don’t understand that it’s not only your life/well-being you are putting in danger, you are also putting your passengers and *all* the other people on the road, in harm’s way. I am opposed to teens getting their licences at 16.

As for the voting age…that could be lowered 😉

Answer by jackson
If you look up graduated drivers licences it will lead to all sorts of links that are in regard to this.

All of the data shows that 16 year olds have a higher crash rate than ANY other age. When an accident involves a fatality the rates of involvement for a 16 or 17 year old is 4 times higher than any other age.

I like the way some states are doing the graduated licenses. Basically you get a chance but if you mess up they take it away. In some states it is even tied into grades. It makes sense that the kid who is doing well in school will be more responsible than the kid who is failing.