Should 16-year-old drive

 By Ted Gregory


Is 16 the right age to get a driver's license,I say yes but others are shaky on the decision.

Researchers for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety say the answer is no and they have statistics to back there statement up. They say raising the driving age makes sense and says lives at the same time.

The Governors Highway Safety Association President Adrian Lundi is going to increase the age restriction even further. Linnea Greci, 15, had a different point of view to the change. She said " I don't think it matters what age you are, as long  as you have the practice and experience."

The institute wrote a 17 page report on driving ages. The report showed their progress of decreasing the No.1 cause of death to teens-motor vehicle crashes. Another reason the district is so keen on teen drives.

Illinois has enacted teen driving reforms. The reforms included doubling adult-supervision hours needed to get a license and tripled the time a teen must posses a learners permit. This reforms have already ceased teen driving deaths for first seven months of this year.

Even with this decrease Lundi is still worried. He said " we're still losing a lot of teens on the roads each year." It was said that over 5000 teens are killed per year.

The institute reveals in their recent research that " license's handed out at older ages would substantially teen related crashes. They also provided an example of what would happen if driver's license wait time was increased.

In New Jersey the minimum age required is 17, and a study made from 1992-96. The results said that crash-related deaths among 16-17 years-old was 18 per every 100,000, they it compared to Connecticut's 26 per every 100,000, which had the driving age at 16.

In the report it was also noted that when a graduated license law was enacted that the fatality rate fell 33%. Studies also concluded that a teens brain developments contribute's to the accidents. It's said that there young minds are immature and craves sensual arousal and attention. It's also said that peer pressure and distraction are key benefactors.

In conclusion I agree that teens shouldn't drive. There irresponsible and are worried more about the car  their driving then obeying the laws. Besides kids should focus more on schoolwork and success before obtaining a car. This is a message to all those parents wasting  money on cars for their kids birthdays: STOP RIGHT NOW!!!