Driving Age

[Light Aura]

What do you feel about the driving age in your area? Do you feel it is too low, too high, or just right. Right now I am close to getting my permit, however it seems like the driving age is too low. Teens have the highest percent of crashes which as far as I know is due to inexperience. In fact, just today when I was doing my behind-the-wheel I was in my school parking lot. Another student was driving in a car with his friends and didn't even use his turn signal. If he can't do that in a parking lot how can he do it on the road.

 

[billabong]

Inexperience isn't really due to age. I'm sure there are a lot of 13 year old dreamers that can drive a lot better than any self respecting adult, actually.

The problem is the stupidity of a few people. If people paid attention more in their classes, there'd be less accidents. Although I live in Nevada. Driving age is 16, and I find that fine.

 

[Cid Highwind]

in my area, you get your temps when you are 15 and a half, you get your restricted license when you are 16 (6 months after using temps), and then get the restrictions off when you are 16 and 9 months after you get your license.

i feel that 16 is a good age. the law when you have your restricted license is that you can only have one other friend in the car w/ you and unlimited family members. any violation results in 6 more months of restrictions. i think this is about right. i think this is a good age to become a good driver and then if you obey the law and such, you get your restrictions off 9 months later and then you can drive whoever you want.

 

[Light Aura]

Inexperience isn't really due to age. I'm sure there are a lot of 13 year old dreamers that can drive a lot better than any self respecting adult, actually.

The problem is the stupidity of a few people. If people paid attention more in their classes, there'd be less accidents. Although I live in Nevada. Driving age is 16, and I find that fine.

I agree with what you are saying. Most people don't know what they're doing or don't obey the law. Many accidents could be avoided if people knew what they were doing. Today when I was driving on the road this women was tailgating me. Tailgating wouldn't get her to her destination any faster. And I guess she didn't realize that if a deer or something ran across the road she would most likely end up hitting me.

in my area, you get your temps when you are 15 and a half, you get your restricted license when you are 16 (6 months after using temps), and then get the restrictions off when you are 16 and 9 months after you get your license.

i feel that 16 is a good age. the law when you have your restricted license is that you can only have one other friend in the car w/ you and unlimited family members. any violation results in 6 more months of restrictions. i think this is about right. i think this is a good age to become a good driver and then if you obey the law and such, you get your restrictions off 9 months later and then you can drive whoever you want.

Where I live it is 16 for a permit, 17 for a restricted license, and 18 for an unrestricted license.

 

[Cid Highwind]

Where I live it is 16 for a permit, 17 for a restricted license, and 18 for an unrestricted license.

damn, that's really hardcore. where do you live?

 

[Light Aura]

damn, that's really hardcore. where do you live?

New Jersey, and as far as I know it is the only state like that. I may be mistaken though.

 

[Cid Highwind]

yeah, that's a first to me. wow, 18 to have your unrestricted license....and i take it that's also without having any accidents too.

 

[Katattack]

Where I live, you get your permit at 15 1/2, six months later you (idealy) get your license, and six months later, you can have people other than immediate family with you when you drive.

I think that's pretty good.

If most accidents were because of inexperience, raising the driving age would do nothing. An 18 year old learning to drive is just as inexperienced as a 16 year old, and many younger people can drive better than most people.

Better than me, anyhow. xD

 

[Stavvy]

For me, at 15 you can get a permit, and at 16 you can get your license. . . .

 

[violent_anger]

i've got a question. if the crashes and bad driving are due to inexperiance, how will that change by increasing the driving age? you get better with years of driving, not by being 21 years old

damit kat, stole my idea

 

[Faith Crest]

You can only have driving lessons and a license at 17 over here in the UK. It's not a case of people a that age having inexperience here, but it's more of the ones who are older having inexperience. I'm sure those in the UK will agree with me that there have been too many crashes relating to mobile phones than inexperience.

 

[Johnny Stooge]

In Queensland, you need to be 16 and 6 months to get your Learner's license. Then your able to drive a car, but only with someone on their Opens license. I'm not sure when you're able to get your Provisional license, but you have to have a few professional driving lessons under your belt.

Although, with the new laws coming in on July 1st, you're able to get your Learners as soon as you turn 16, but you have to have it for a year with 100 hours of professional driving lessons before you you can get your Provisional license. Thankfully, I can go for my Learners on May 5th exempting me from the new laws.

I think the driving age here is fine. Experience is not the problem, attitude is. People need to stop confusing real life with Fast and the Furious.

 

[BladesofJustice]

15 for permit and 16 for license for me and I'm fine with that. The age is not the problem for me but I feel it lies in the maturity of the person. People in their fifties drive like that is their first time driving sometimes so aging isn't necessarily a good thing. We're not talking about fine wine. I think the parents should determine if their child is ready for a car and not just get one for them just because they reach that age. If the kid buys the car.....well.....he's responsible then.

 

[chaywa]

In Queensland, you need to be 16 and 6 months to get your Learner's license. Then your able to drive a car, but only with someone on their Opens license. I'm not sure when you're able to get your Provisional license, but you have to have a few professional driving lessons under your belt.

Although, with the new laws coming in on July 1st, you're able to get your Learners as soon as you turn 16, but you have to have it for a year with 100 hours of professional driving lessons before you you can get your Provisional license.

I personally think something akin to this would be beneficial on a global scale, currently in the UK its not a case of experience, its a case of knowing what you need to know in order to pass the test, not the correct application and experience needed to know how to drive in all conditions. I also think Night lessons would be beneficial as well...

 

[Color Me Knievel]

I find a lot of people blame inexperience and age as a problem =/ It really isn't. Like many other people stated a 21 year old will still have the same inexperience as a 16 year old if say they both didn't know how to drive. Like Stooge mentioned it's more of an attitude and from what I know, teenagers tend to drink a LOT during high school so drunk driving could also be a real problem.

 

[snowdog]

I personally think something akin to this would be beneficial on a global scale, currently in the UK its not a case of experience, its a case of knowing what you need to know in order to pass the test, not the correct application and experience needed to know how to drive in all conditions. I also think Night lessons would be beneficial as well...

^ Yeah, I personally think that people get their licences too easily over here. That's why there are so many terrible accidents...

 

[pepsi458]

I think the driving age is right in Georgia. Now the law is if you where born after 1991 you get your permit and 15 license at 16 if you have taken drivers ed and had 40 hour behind the wheel. As for me I was born in 1991 which mean the new law does not affect me, but I still have taken drivers ed.

 

[Annoyance]

*not affected by these laws but past 15 and too busy for driver's ed*
I really could care less. Everything near me is walking distance. The only good a car'll do is that I can carry it all in that car.

Of course...driving to my friends house would be nice...bah. I can walk if I wanted.

 

[pepsi458]

You need to take Drivers Ed anyway it is just plain smart. It increses your knowledge of the road, makes you a safer driver ( as long as you pay attention), and it reduces the cost of your car ensurence.

 

[chaywa]

You need to take Drivers Ed anyway it is just plain smart. It increses your knowledge of the road, makes you a safer driver ( as long as you pay attention), and it reduces the cost of your car ensurence.

Schemes such as this should be made compulsory imo when learning to drive a car, and is partially relevant to David Cameron's proposal of age scrapping in favour of knowledge and application of certain skills, so for example, schemes such as this mentioned (in appalling English i might add) would be made compulsory before being allowed to drive on the road, and with the incentive of cheaper insurance, i reckon it'd be a sure fire hit at least for Britain.

*Wow, i'm agreeing with David Cameron, that is rare*