Posted on: Sat, Aug 23, 2008 - 4:59am
My son is 14. This being said, he is already talking about driving in a couple years. Perhaps I'm just an over-protective mom, but I really don't feel 16 yr olds are mature enough to drive. I have told him that he may wait until he's 17 to actually get his license so he can drive with his permit for an entire year. This doesn't fly with him, but I still would feel safer to do this. There have been so many horrible wrecks in my area that involved young 16 yr old drivers that I just don't feel comfortable in letting my son out on the road by himself at such a young age. What do you all think about this? If I had my choice the driving age would be raised another year for everyone.
They have talked about raising it to 18 in my state but I don't know if it will ever happen. Our ideas of what people can do is rather skewed, anyway, I think. 16 years old to drive, 18 years old to vote and join the military and 21 to have a beer. There should be more uniformity to it, in my opinion.
If you feel he should wait, then make him wait. You're the parent and it doesn't matter what the law allows. Granted, it won't make you popular but most of our parental decisions don't…lol. If you don't think he's ready to drive on his own then you need to do what you can to protect him.
I don't think sixteen is old enough to drive. In Kentucky, where I live, you have to have your permit for a year before you can get your license.
Really? Katie I'm from Ky and I thought they could still get their permit at 16 and then their license 6 months later. Where have I been? If that's the case then my son can get his permit at 16 and then maybe his license at 17. I would feel so much safer this way. I've already made my mind up this is the way it will be regardless if the law says they have to wait a full year or not. I don't know who came up with the idea that kids could drive at 16, but they need to rethink this in my opinion.
~stangchic~
~stangchic~
Statistics have consistently shown that the youngest drivers are the ones who have the majority of the accidents. Not the newest drivers-the youngest.
So I would support a raise in age to 18 in a heart beat. It's older elsewhere in the world, I don't know why it's so young here but for the fact that our public transport is a joke.
Honestly most kids these days are barely mature enough until almost thirty it would seem. Between plain childish, selfish behavior an dangerous stuff like talking on their cell phones half the people who pass even at 18+ don't seem to take it seriously.
Though I wish it could be so, I don't think we could ever test the maturity of driving candidates. So I think that a rise in driving age is more than appropriate and soon, before any more young lives are lost.
Most times I am a tad iffy on this subject. I remember how I drove and also how some of my friends drove as well, the difference between maturity levels can sometimes be just crazy.
How responsible is he right now? I have noticed that some of the quiet teens you see around lately are the better drivers compared to others around. :)
Sixteen sure seems too young to me. But, when I was fifteen, waiting another year seemed like hell. I had a lot of friends who were older than me, and I felt stupid having to ask them for a ride all the time.
Here in the UK you have to be 17 before you can drive a car and my daughter passed her test on her 17th birthday. She had been riding a moped for a year before that though so she did have a good idea of what it was like to ride in traffic. I think it's better to start them off on a slowish vehicle like this to get them accustomed to traffic.
I know some people in their late 30's and even 40's that are not mature enough to drive. Just the other day I ended up watching as a local school had a PTA meeting on when their kids should start driving since so many still seem so irresponsible.
If it's not a Ford, walk!
When I was 15 and 16 it seemed like it was forever before I could drive. I couldn't wait and my mother and father had talked to me for many years before I drove. They had even taken me to a local cemetery and let me drive there for practice. When I got my driving permit, they took me out so much I thought that I would never get to drive by myself. I finally got my license at age 17 after they had thoroughly trained me. However, having said that, I really think that the driving age needs to be raised to 18. There also needs to be a state sponsored driving course that needs to be formulated to train kids how to drive along with in class instruction that needs to be done. They need more training instead of letting them go to learn on their own like a lot of parents do. I've seen parents let their kids drive them places while they're asleep! A lot of parents just don't get it. Every time I have my grandchildren in the car, I teach them a few tips about driving even though one of them is just 13. I don't let an opportunity go by when I can teach them something about staying safe and alive on the road.
If it's not a Ford, walk!
I dread the day my son gets his license. I don't think 16 year olds are mature enough to make the responsible decisions that you need to make as a driver. I don't know how to “fix” the system but somebody should do something to keep our teens out from behind the wheel.
I know exactly how you feel. My son will be 18 next month and when it came time for him to start driving two-years ago, I was terrified. However, I was pretty amazed with his awareness while driving. He turned out to be more mature than I thought he was. He tells me to pay more attention while I"m driving and the best part is, he is right! Give you kid a chance he may just surprise you!
“selfish behavior an dangerous stuff like talking on their cell phones half the people who pass even at 18+ don't seem to take it seriously.”
I honestly don't see that getting any less with people in their 30's, 40's, and 50's.. maybe in their 60's and 70's when they have bifocals and can't drive straight anymore. Plenty of “mature” business folk and “responsible” parents talk on their cel phones while they drive. I've honked at a truck that cut me off, then at the next red light they got out of their truck to come beat me. Fortunately it was a short light and they didn't get past their rear bumper before the light turned green and they hopped back in their truck and drove off like maniacs. I see plenty of middle aged folk who think they driver better when they're drunk.
“I don't know why it's so young here but for the fact that our public transport is a joke.”
I agree that's a major factor that we can't expect teens to get to work and school so easily unless public transportation is greatly improved or more conveniences are made for scooters and bicycles.
While at a glance I don't like the idea of younger drivers on the road I have to admit I've been in areas where teens could get their license at 14 and the driving was no worse than anywhere else I'd been. In fact those 14 year old's seemed to grow up a bit faster and mature a bit sooner.
However, why don't we make driving part of the public school system? Shop classes can build the cars, students can work during the summer building the track and doing construction, and students are taught to drive like they're taught gym class. It's an essential practical skill. Why not?
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Hello! Just give him the trust that he needs then ask him for an assurance that if he'll gonna drive, he should never drink nor go to parties by himself, with out any matured individual with him. Give him certain options/limits so he'll know what to do. And the rules and regulations of driving, the do's and dont's. Hope this helps.
I think after 18 year is a perfect age to drive..Driving License should be there for every individual.It gives a satisfaction to parents and for the individual.