Raising the driving age to 18?

http://www.newsobserver.com/2180/story/1211761.html

What do y'all think about it?

 

No, I didn't read the whole article, but my first thought when I saw your title was...

"Oh Great!! I see a train wreck coming!!! Wasn't it a couple weeks ago we saw where some colleges wanted to lower the drinking age to 18?"

Does anyone else find this kinda scary?

 

I think we should raise the age

 

Should be a consistent age of reaching legal maturity. At 18, one can vote, enlist, and die for this country. Why not choose whether or not to drink? And, if they aren't mature enough to decide whether or not to drink, how in the world are they mature enough to decide to join the military, or enter intoa legally binding contract to buy a house, or a car?

 

My dd's (who's 17) first question was - will they take back my license!!?? :lol:

I have mixed feelings about it. Most HS's have afterschool sports or jobs etc and need to have their own transportation. BUT I do see the point about maybe if they wait til 18, they're a little more mature. But I also think that if my child had just gotten their license at 18 and then they're heading off to college - I'd be worried about their driving experience, plus being away from home. On the news last night they did mention that states such as NC that have the graduated licensing procedure also did better according to the statistics. So maybe they're trying to get some of the other states to change to that too.

 

I think they should leave the age alone. It gives Mom and Dad some time to keep a watchful eye on them while they are still in the community where other people know them, and will help keep an eye on what they are doing, how fast they are going, etc. I would hate to hand my daughter the keys for the first time as she is heading out the door on her way to college. She will turn 18 after she graduates from high school. It would be really nice if we could get our government to stop legislating things to death and start holding people really accountable for their actions.

 

I reckon the good news is that it would buy me a couple more years before I have to go buy my boy some old rust bucket to drive.

Boy, 18 is the magic age isn't it? If they raise the driving age and lower the drinking age, then our younguns could smoke, drink, and drive... some doing so before they reach graduation. (Or in my case before 10th grade, lol)

 

They should keep it at 16 with restrictions until 18. What are teens with jobs going to do? Its not always easy for mom and dad to shuttle their kids everywhere.

 

I think this is where the responsibilities as a parent come in. As a parent I knew my two boys weren't ready to have a license at 16. Sure....they weren't too happy about having to wait until 17. Now that they are older they understand my decision.

 

I don't think raising it is a bad idea. You ever see these kids drive around here? 16 - 18 with restrictions is a JOKE. That would require enforcement by parents and LEO alike. Sadly, I see these rules broken everyday. No teens driving after 9PM. Seatbelts, not more than one teen passenger... And let's not even get into cellphone talking or texting.

And too many parents think, "oh good - now you can drive. Go run this errand for me, take your brothers/sisters here, etc." - see, right there the parent is encouraging them to break the rules.

Afterschool activities? Pick them up like you did in Middle School. Or how about bringing back activity buses? I would pay a monthly fee for that, if gas/resources were a problem. And, yes - it would be cheaper than the raise in insurance rates and securing a safe, reliable automobile for my children. And safer for all kids and adults on the road.

Not saying I am all for raising the age, but I can see benefits.

 

And none of you would have voted for it when you were 16 and it was time to get to drive. Every one of you somehow made it.

We all lived, we all survived. Our parents did the same but for some reason, this generation of parents are now more enlightened and now know better than all other parents of the last 50 years.

Some of us even survived when the drinking age was 18.

Why cant we just leave things alone?

 

Well, the ones that did not make it are not here to speak, are they? I myself just about totalled my mother's car. Hydroplaned into the back of a Bronco in a Plymouth Sundance. I was not as cautious, or as attentive a driver as I am now. I can fully admit that. Back then there were no cell phones, Too Fast and Too Furious, etc.

 

Well the insurance companies are shaking in their boots. First illegals can no longer obtain licenses and now the possibilities that the SKY HIGH rates they charge parents so their kiddies can drive will be delayed for two years. Whatever will they do? :jester:

 

As a mom of a 16 yo and 14 yo I have mixed feelings. I love the graduated license. I felt a little more comfortable handing my son the keys to his car or mine. He is on the 5am to 9pm unless he is driving home from work part of his graduated license. I as the parent have the option come next month after being on this one for 6 months to extend it for another 6 months or let him get his regular license. I still make him drive with me so that I can see how he is progressing and he has had to work on a few things and I keep reminding him that I have the power over his license. He doesn't go any further than Smithfield one way and White Oak the other. As I feel more comfortable with him driving I will let him go further. This isn't to say he isn't a good driver, but as with all things practice makes you better. Some say I am too overprotective and maybe I am but I don't see how this isn't a good thing.

If he didn't have his license now he wouldn't be able to attend Middle College because they do not have bus service and both his Dad and I work so we can't take him and pick him up. He would have lost out on this opportunity if he had to wait until 18. I also agree with the others above that I wouldn't feel comfortable with him getting his license and moving out at the same time. At least now I can still get him to drive me around so I can have some sort of control over him. Now I will tell you it is so nice to send him to the store or to take his brother to and from friends houses but again we don't live far from anywhere. I also make him call me when he gets somewhere and when he leaves somewhere.

Now on the flip side of this I am all for anything that will keep my child safe. But in all honesty I see more adults that do things wrong on the road than I do teenagers. I also don't think that drivers ed is as thorough as it should be. When I was in HS in AZ we took it as a regular class that lasted for 1 quarter....here it was two weeks for a couple of hours after school. I don't think that is nearly long enough. My opinion would be lets make drivers ed more intense keep the graduated license and see if that works instead of making the driving age 18.

 

Jeepgirl - I agree with ya about driver's ed. When I took it in school, it was a regular semester class too. I think they should at least give them more road/driving time, if not the classroom time- (if they don't want to take away from other classes by adding it to the reg sch day).

 

Let me preface this by saying I think all kids need exercise, but I think if they took 1 quarter (9 weeks) out of PE and made the kids go to drivers ed instead, I don't think it would be too much to ask.

 

Raising the age in my view is nothing more than letting the state do what the parents should do. I agree with its the parent's responsibility to work with their teen kids to hone their driving skills during those years. You can't turn a 18 year old loose with a car and little experience.

If the parents can't say "no" to friends in the car, broken curfews, improper cell phone usage while driving, it's not the fault of the kids...its the parents who need to put their foot down and stop being passive. A young, inexperienced driver should not be driving to the mall with friends. They should be driving to the mall with a parent riding with them. Teens are still kids and are not mature, but they are in my view mature enough to drive a car with proper supervision and parental involvement with their learning to drive. If they are living under your house and your rules, you as a parent control the keys to the car. At least, I hope so.

The state shouldn't have to produce a ready-made driver. It's a learning/confidence-building experience and you simply can't leave the parent's obligation to their children out of that.

 

:iagree:

 

I totally agree with you on your previous statement but I don't on this one unfortunately, I don't think kids get enough PE as it is..we had to have it everyother day all year long!!.

Geesh man...I had to take freakin drivers' ed during summerschool!!!

AND...when I was in sports I had to ride the activity/late bus home at 5:00 or so...

Man...my childhood/teenage years STUNK!!!

:jester:

 

...wouldn't bother me a bit since I ride motorcycles. :mrgreen: