*POLL* Do you think the age to drive should be raised?

This is a discussion and a poll about the teen driving crisis. It has been proven that many teen drivers are extremely wreckless. Teens are obtaining drivers licencses too easily, and they are text messaging, messing around, not paying attention to the road.... and for the male teens they are not only doing that but trying to race and drive extremely carelessly, do crazy stunts to impress their friends, etc.

I am not saying all teens are irresponsible behind the wheel, but many certainly are, and it really is becomming a crisis. This is the number one cause for teen death in America. Just a few days ago, 5 young girls were killed in a head on collision because the driver decided to talk on the phone, and text at the same time. Her silly decision causted her life, and four other lives.

Teens (in general... not all) just aren't very mature to begin with. Each year they are taking thousands of lives (not just their own) because they are just in general too immature, and do not fully understand how important it is to be safe behind the wheel.

In my personal opinion, they should still be able to get a driverse license at age 16, but there will be really strict regulations until age 18.

1) The drivers test must be harder, and you MUST drive with an instructer for more than 30 minutes before being able to obtain a license.

2) You may not drive with a friend in the car until after 6 months of driving. Then you may not drive with more than 1 friend in the car until you are 18 years old.

3) If you receive more than one speeding ticket per year, your license will immediately be revoked until you are 18 years old, and if you receive a ticket for wreckless driving at least once, your license will be restricted until 18.

4) Something must be done about this. There must be strict driving rules in place to drastically bring down the death toll list.

Opinions?

Hell. Yes.

At least to 18.

If there was a vote to raise it to 18, I would vote yes. I would also vote yes to anything that makes anyone over 60ish to retake their test every 5 years.LukeAF24

yeah that would be a good idea

On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.Squidward117

why are you 10?

[QUOTE="Squidward117"]On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.jbdb1345

why are you 10?

No... I believe kids are responsible and mature enough to begin driving at the age of 10.

How about just adopt Ontario's (Canada) graduated licensing sytem...? From Wikipedia:

• Learners permit (G1): Available at age 16, with the passing of a multiple choice road theory test, a driving permit is issued which allows the learning driver to drive on roads accompanied by someone with full valid driver's licence whose BAC is less than .05 and has been fully licenced for four years. The driver also cannot drive roads with a posted speed limit over 80km/h (50 MPH) or between 12:00 AM - 5:00 AM and must maintain their own BAC at zero.
• Probationary licence (G2): Available after having held a learners permit for 12 or eight months if the driver has completed a certain number of driving lessons with recognized driving school. Probationary licence is acquired after successfully completing a road test. At this point the driver must still maintain a BAC of zero. As of 2005 drivers with a G2 licences are restricted in the number of passengers under 19 that they can carry during night-time driving.
• Full licence (G): After 1 year of possessing the G2 licence a driver can take an additional road test that often includes driving on a four lane divided highway. With successful completion they will obtain a full licence which carries no restrictions and are not required to take any further tests until 80 providing they renew their licence regularly. Drivers 80 years of age and over must complete a vision and knowledge test and participate in a 90-minute group education session to renew their licence.

Ontario has been using a graduated licensing system since 1994. A driver can take as little as 20 months to get a full licence, however a driver must have a full licence (G) within five years of obtaining a learners permit (G1).

The exact same process, except with other restrictions, is used for obtaining a motorcycle (M) licence.

In Ontario, there was a recently proposed legislation to deny driver's licences to high school dropouts until they turned 18. It was meant as an incentive for students to graduate.

Traffic Violations convictions usually come with demerit against your licence. The points may affect your insurance or if you collect enough of them you may face a licence suspension.

I think harsher penalties should be introduced for a start, I mean in the UK drunk drivers can sometimes get away with a two year driving ban and a 6 month sentence. I've read about that happening even in the case of them actually hitting and injuring someone with their car, not just driving under the influence and being caught.

Sometimes me and some friends browse Mydeathspace.com, out of morbid curiosity I suppose, and it's amazing how many teens on there died in car accidents.

Tests should be harder, the driving age should be raised, and harsher penalties should be implemented. Considering how many people die in car accidents each year, something has to be done about the amount of morons on the road, no matter how old they are.

On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.Squidward117

I like how this guy thinks.

[QUOTE="jbdb1345"]

[QUOTE="Squidward117"]On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.Squidward117

why are you 10?

No... I believe kids are responsible and mature enough to begin driving at the age of 10.

Yeah. Maybe companies can make mini cars, so you can have a mini BMW or a mini Mercedes for these kids to drive around in mini streets to hone their driving skills. Starting from an early age will really make them better drivers in the future.

[QUOTE="Squidward117"][QUOTE="jbdb1345"]

[QUOTE="Squidward117"]On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.sthadji

why are you 10?

No... I believe kids are responsible and mature enough to begin driving at the age of 10.

Yeah. Maybe companies can make mini cars, so you can have a mini BMW or a mini Mercedes for these kids to drive around in mini streets to hone their driving skills. Starting from an early age will really make them better drivers in the future.

Stop smoking.

1) The drivers test must be harder, and you MUST drive with an instructer for more than 30 minutes before being able to obtain a license. Circus888

[QUOTE="sthadji"][QUOTE="Squidward117"][QUOTE="jbdb1345"]

[QUOTE="Squidward117"]On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.Squidward117

why are you 10?

No... I believe kids are responsible and mature enough to begin driving at the age of 10.

Yeah. Maybe companies can make mini cars, so you can have a mini BMW or a mini Mercedes for these kids to drive around in mini streets to hone their driving skills. Starting from an early age will really make them better drivers in the future.

Stop smoking.

You're the one who started it really.

Really what we need to do is get 17 year old girls off the road. More often then not, when I'm in a close call it's a 17 year old girl driving in a big Ford Explorer while talking on a cell phone. The difference between men and women drivers as I see it is this: Men are more focused on driving, and sometimes get really into it. This may tempt men to drive faster and dangerously. Women tend to be more occupied while driving and multitask(cell phones, makeup, children, etc). This also is dangerous. But really, the real issue is 17 year old girls.Headbanger88

[QUOTE="Squidward117"][QUOTE="sthadji"][QUOTE="Squidward117"][QUOTE="jbdb1345"]

[QUOTE="Squidward117"]On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.sthadji

why are you 10?

No... I believe kids are responsible and mature enough to begin driving at the age of 10.

Yeah. Maybe companies can make mini cars, so you can have a mini BMW or a mini Mercedes for these kids to drive around in mini streets to hone their driving skills. Starting from an early age will really make them better drivers in the future.

Stop smoking.

You're the one who started it really.

Yeah, but I never said anything about miniature BMWs... Come to think of it, miniature cars wouldn't pollute as much as full size cars... We might have something.

[QUOTE="sthadji"][QUOTE="Squidward117"][QUOTE="sthadji"][QUOTE="Squidward117"][QUOTE="jbdb1345"]

[QUOTE="Squidward117"]On the contrary, I firmly believe it should be lowered. The age should be 10.Squidward117

why are you 10?

No... I believe kids are responsible and mature enough to begin driving at the age of 10.

Yeah. Maybe companies can make mini cars, so you can have a mini BMW or a mini Mercedes for these kids to drive around in mini streets to hone their driving skills. Starting from an early age will really make them better drivers in the future.

Stop smoking.

You're the one who started it really.

Yeah, but I never said anything about miniature BMWs... Come to think of it, miniature cars wouldn't pollute as much as full size cars... We might have something.

Hmm...I never thought of it like that. But there would be the problem of also fitting adults into those miniature cars. Sounds like a job for..Chris Bangle. :P Oh wait...he got fired.

I've never come close to being hit by a teenager, it's always people older than me, so no I don't think so. I also think it's ridiculous that anyone would consider changing the age you can drive before banning cell phones while driving.

Also to the person who posted Ontario's legislation, I live in Ontario and thought most places were like that, do people in certain states not have to wait before being able to drive?

How about just adopt Ontario's (Canada) graduated licensing sytem...? From Wikipedia:

• Learners permit (G1): Available at age 16, with the passing of a multiple choice road theory test, a driving permit is issued which allows the learning driver to drive on roads accompanied by someone with full valid driver's licence whose BAC is less than .05 and has been fully licenced for four years. The driver also cannot drive roads with a posted speed limit over 80km/h (50 MPH) or between 12:00 AM - 5:00 AM and must maintain their own BAC at zero.
• Probationary licence (G2): Available after having held a learners permit for 12 or eight months if the driver has completed a certain number of driving lessons with recognized driving school. Probationary licence is acquired after successfully completing a road test. At this point the driver must still maintain a BAC of zero. As of 2005 drivers with a G2 licences are restricted in the number of passengers under 19 that they can carry during night-time driving.
• Full licence (G): After 1 year of possessing the G2 licence a driver can take an additional road test that often includes driving on a four lane divided highway. With successful completion they will obtain a full licence which carries no restrictions and are not required to take any further tests until 80 providing they renew their licence regularly. Drivers 80 years of age and over must complete a vision and knowledge test and participate in a 90-minute group education session to renew their licence.

Ontario has been using a graduated licensing system since 1994. A driver can take as little as 20 months to get a full licence, however a driver must have a full licence (G) within five years of obtaining a learners permit (G1).

The exact same process, except with other restrictions, is used for obtaining a motorcycle (M) licence.

In Ontario, there was a recently proposed legislation to deny driver's licences to high school dropouts until they turned 18. It was meant as an incentive for students to graduate.

Traffic Violations convictions usually come with demerit against your licence. The points may affect your insurance or if you collect enough of them you may face a licence suspension.

Aznsilvrboy

I definitely agree that a graduated licencing program is the way to go. Saskatchewan has also introduced something similar to this, and I think it's a very good idea. It still allows for people to get experience behind the wheel while greatly reducing the risks associated with inexperienced drivers.

If the age limit was raised, we would have inexperience 18 year olds instead of inexperienced 16 year olds. There is not much of a difference there.

And to whoever said people shouldn't be able to drive without supervision until the age of 21: that is absurd. You are expected to be starting a career, or going to university, starting your own family, but yet you can't drive without supervision. For that matter, the drinking age at 21 in the US is just as absurd. You are responsible enough to vote for your country's leader when you are 18, yet you aren't responsible enough to have a drink? Makes no sense at all.

I think teens should be able to drive with other teenagers in the car. But only during certian hours. Like say 6:15-9:00 and 2:00-4:00. Enough time to drive to school and back home. That allows wiggleroom for students with classes that start before the rest of the classes do(They're called 0 period here. Not sure if its the same elsewere). Also enought to allow for the traffic jam that happens after school gets out.(My HS has 3,000+ kids its a mess after school). If you really think about it, this is encouraging carpooling. So itis envoirment friendly.

Oh and FYI since July 1st it is illegal to drive a car while holding a cellphone to your ear in California. Those hands free things are still legal.

Oh and FYI since July 1st it is illegal to drive a car while holding a cellphone to your ear in California. Those hands free things are still legal.

SWTTVGfreak

Which I was glad to see happen. I've always tried to pull over if the phone call is important, otherwise I'll ignore it. I don't know how hard the police are going to enforce it, guess we'll see in a couple months of having the law.