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In the United States of America, the accident rate per mile for drivers
in the 16-19 age group is four times higher than among older drivers.
What is even more frightening is that the youngest drivers are the most
dangerous. The accident rate per mile for 16-year-old drivers is three
times higher than for 19-year-old drivers.
Let's look at more
figures. More than 20% of all traffic deaths occurred when a teenager
was driving the car, and more than 60% of teenage passenger deaths
occurred when another teenager was driving the car.
So the question remains: Are teen drivers ready?
Simply put, the answer is no.
A
driver's perception of his driving skills greatly affects how they
behave on the road. Think about it. This rule applies all the time.
Take skateboarding for example. Compare an amateur against a
professional. Obviously the professional will participate in more
stunts than the amateur, and the likelihood of an accident would be
higher in the latter.
And this may not be their fault. A recent
series of studies reported some very interesting findings. Teens may
not be able to help it when they take risks. It’s how their brains are
wired.
Scientists have found that the region of the brain that
inhibits risky behavior does not fully form until the person is
25-years-old. That means that a 16-year-old driver is seriously not
ready to perceive the risks of driving a car. And they really cannot
help it. No amount of teaching, training and practicing can help them.
This
is especially true when the teen is around his friends. When he drives
alone, he most likely would not take any significant risks, but around
friends, he ran more traffic lights.
Well, what then, can be done?
There are a few options:
1. Limit the number of passengers in a teen’s car.
It
can be made a law to prevent the number of passengers in a teen’s car
from going above a certain limit. As the study has shown, more friends
in the car lead to more risk-taking, and thus more accidents. The
inverse accordingly is true.
2. Ban cell-phone usage in a car.
A
test was once conducted like this. There were two groups of people who
had to press a button when a light flashed in front of them. The only
difference is that in the first group, there were no distractions while
in the second, they were allowed to chat with a friend on a cell-phone.
Those using the cell phones were more likely to not notice the flash
than those who had nothing to distract them.
3. Raise the driving age to 18.
Legislators
have begun to consider raising the legal driving age to 18, and this
will be a very good move. Many countries around the world have a much
higher legal driving age than the United States, and the percentage of
casualties in countries with a similar road safety standard as the
United States are definitely lower.
All three options are
definitely effective, though, they may face much opposition. Firstly,
Teenagers want to drive a car. A car is a status of freedom and
independence. Secondly, it would be difficult to enforce such rules
like banning cell-phone usage or limiting the number of passengers in a
teen’s car. However, the advantages of enforcing these three options
undeniably outweigh the disadvantages.
» left by Katie from Clarksville, MD (3 years 27 days ago.)
Not all teenage drivers are looking for status or independence. Some have to drive to jobs and internships. Respond to this comment
» left by Emily from Georgia (1 year 252 days ago.)
I, as a teen driver, do believe that you made this very biased. So what if we make mistakes, so do you. Atleast we only make up 14% whereas adults make up 86%. I actually think the learner's license age should be lowered to 14 so that we teens have more experience behind the wheel. please, thank you, and have a nice day. =D Respond to this comment
» left by Anonymous from Illinois (1 year 251 days ago.)
You cannot use that as an argument because even though adults cause 86% of accidents they consist of 93% of drivers!!! Teenagers may only cause 14% but they only make up 7% of people on the road. I am 18 and I believe I had made far more mistakes and taken more risks at the age of 16. Teens need more practice and more difficult tests, but the age also needs to be raised. If not to 18 then at least to 17. Respond to this comment
» left by Anonymous (1 year 251 days ago.)
well ya the older people are going to be driving a lot more better then the teens because they have had a lot more experience and it doesn't change if you change the driving law to age 18 they are still going to be new drivers out there, there is nothing you can do about it so you mine as well just leave it at age 16 Respond to this comment
» left by Anonymous (1 year 45 days ago.)
I am 15 and I think the driving age should be 18 not 16. The 18 year olds may still be "new drivers," but at least their brain will be better developed. Respond to this comment
» left by A concerned student from California (1 year 28 days ago.)
I have to say that driving in a vehicle is hazardous- NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE. Teenagers get very little freedom, so just let us keep this small bit of freedom- driving is independence for us. Changing the driving age after it has been set in stone for so long is ridiculous and unjust. Just tell me, if you were still that "bubbleheaded" teenager that you believe everyone is, then how would you feel if some group of adults decided that the driving age was going to change- what if you were 15 and they just decided: The driving age is going to be changed to 18, 16 was just too young?
Brains aren't important, but maturity is. We're all stupid- don't tell me YOU were perfect as a teenager. There is a chance that a mistake will be made, but not EVERY teenager is going to make that mistake behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Lowering the driving age isn't the answer either- it's much more hazardous. At the age of fourteen- for which I am currently at- most everyone can't think straight and changes begin to occur. These changes practically leave us all in weird moods, and driving at such times is not safe. You may think you are ready to drive at thirteen or fourteen, but the truth is: You are far from ready. Face it, we all are.
Adults actually aren't driving BETTER than us- I've seen my share of adult drivers that cut my parents off. Since adults have had a longer chance to drive, they earn habits- most of which are bad. With some of the habits that adults have, they tend to forget the right or wrong way to drive and choose to just drive with their minds shut off from the world.
EVERYONE needs to wake-up when you're driving. Most accidents are caused because the person or people that cause the accident only focus on themselves. My parents continuously tell me, "When you drive, you don't just drive for yourself. You drive for EVERYBODY." If we heed that small amount of advice, then maybe a thousand less accidents will occur, so just leave well enough alone.
Accidents are not caused by one group of people, rather than that, they are caused by every race, age, etc. Heed this fourteen year olds advice: Wake-up and drive or get off the road. Pay attention to the world around you or you'll find yourself in on the side of the road injured by your mistake.
» left by A concerned teen from IL (347 days 8 hours ago.)
Personally I believe that teen drivers are ready. I am 13 years old myself and I believe that I am already responsible enough to drive. And just keep in mind that an accident is not just one person's fault, there has to be two people to make up an accident. So what if only one is a teenager? That doesn't mean that the rest of us young teens aren't ready to drive. Adults who already have their license and have been driving for years say we should higher the driving age. I bet when they were our age the statistics were the same! And they would be in our shoes fighting for what they think is right. Sure more teens are in accidents more than adults, but if they raised the age we would still be inexperienced drivers getting in accidents no matter how old they raised the age too! Respond to this comment
» left by JOE from Who gives? (308 days 14 hours ago.)
We're ready, stupid. You just never give us the chance to prove it. Respond to this comment
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