Teen Driving Age to Raise?

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Teen Driving Age to Raise?

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Posted: 8:52 PM Sep 9, 2008
Last Updated: 8:52 PM Sep 9, 2008
Reporter: CBS News

18 comments

A | A | A

Most teenagers can't wait to get their driver's licenses. But if one auto safety group has its way, they will have to wait a while longer.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety wants states to raise the minimum age for driving from 16 to 17 or even 18 years old. The group says the move will save lives.
Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers.
The group presented its proposal at the Governor's Highway Safety Association meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona.
One of the board members who is also the director of highway traffic and safety for New Jersey says it's a good idea. She says the driving age in New Jersey is 17 and the number of teens killed in car wrecks is lower than in nearby states.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Alisha Location: Scott County, TN on Nov 13, 2008 at 09:32 AM
For all of you that have a problem with the driving age being raised take this into consideration.....I just lost four of my best friends in a car accident....the driver was 16 and had only had her license a few months....whos not to say that maybe if she would of had to of had more experience driving it would not have happened.....i totally get that being able to drive is a right of passage but this passage also comes with responsibility that most 16 year olds don't understand.....they think they do but they don't i admit that i wasn't ready to start driving at 16 and i'm thnkful everyday that the wreck i did have a month after i got my license didn't hurt anyone......but maybe the next one won't be so lucky.....just think about the lives of others on this and not just what you want........

Posted by: jacky Location: gnzalez on Nov 3, 2008 at 02:30 PM
i THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE AT 16 MOSTLY BECAUSE WE CANT DEPEND ON PARENTS TO TAKE YOU TO SCHOOL EXPECIALLY WHEN THEY DONT NO HOW TO DRIVE

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 24, 2008 at 09:46 AM
this is all stupid...you think the teens are cuasing this? i think maybe the elders are part of the problem too...if you change the driving age some willnot be able to drive until college is about to start

Posted by: Beth Location: Crete on Sep 18, 2008 at 08:31 PM
This is a wonderful idea!!

Posted by: Tony Lehl Location: Lincoln on Sep 16, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Of course car crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers. Do you want to take a guess as to why? Because teenagers are still healthy, they are still in the prime of their life, what else is going to kill us? Raising the age will not do a thing than make your comparitive statistics look prettier, keep the age the same.

Posted by: michael brasse.. Location: canton on Sep 14, 2008 at 07:17 PM
well i am 15 about to turn 16 and i belive that it would be unfair for the kids who already got there permits and stuff like that... so make it from the year 1994 and up have to wait untill there 18 or 17 to drive because i turn 16 in 3 months and this is unfiar if they change it I took segiment one early to get my licens on the day i turn 16! so yea it is a good idea but maby make it for thoes who dont have licens by end of year or somthing....

Posted by: joey on Sep 12, 2008 at 07:46 AM
if we move the age to 17 or 18, then the parents will have to continue to "baby" their kids by chauffering their kids to and from sports or other extracirricular activities. its up to the parents to teach their kids to drive! yet another problem that can be solved with parents who actually pay attention to their kids.

Posted by: .... Location: .... on Sep 11, 2008 at 03:29 PM
People need to realize that if they raise the age to 18, yeah sure no teens the age of 16 or 17 will get killed in car wrecks, but the amount of 18year olds dying in wrecks will jump a lot. By raising the age, they are just making it worse

Posted by: andrew Location: lincoln on Sep 11, 2008 at 01:53 PM
maybe we should lower the drinking age? a drunk 16 year old behind the wheel is obviously dangerous. What 16 year old kid is going to call there parents becuase there trashed and need a ride home.....very few. If there legally drunk, mom and dad can pick them up without them worrying about getting lectured. driving is about experience, not age. i know some 13 year olds that drive better than most 16yr old kids. raising the age will do nothing but cause problems.

Posted by: Dan Location: Lincoln on Sep 11, 2008 at 12:52 AM
I don't think it will help anything. It's not responsibility that's the issue, it's experience. They have to learn sometime, and if they can pass the required exams to do so, then let them. But I do agree that there should be some sort of restrictions. Daylight driving or no driving while on a cell phone are very good ideas. But just raising the age won't change a thing in this case.

Posted by: Michelle Location: Lincoln on Sep 10, 2008 at 11:44 PM
you want more experience drivers? Put drivers education back in school and make it a required class, they need more supervised driving experience not a higher age, age doesnt make them more experienced driving makes them more experienced. And about the cell phone issue, that comes down to the parents enforcing their rules, I know its a rule in our family and if they get caught breaking it they lose priveleges adn they know it and they never know when we are watching. ITs called good parenting!!!!!!!

Posted by: kaylee Location: Dorchester Nebraska on Sep 10, 2008 at 09:39 PM
I don't think it's a very good idea at all because teens will have to depend on there parents more to get places and it will take longer to get things done! and another reason is that It will be more harder one teens and parents schedules.

Posted by: Mia Location: Lincoln on Sep 10, 2008 at 08:45 PM
I got my drivers license when I was 18, but had a learner's permit when I was 15-17. I didn't feel ready to get my driver's license until then. I am now 40 and have had one speeding ticket and one accident. I really believe that more time behind the wheel learning to drive and be responsible help all drivers. I am not saying it will make you the best driver, but experience and practice make it better. If so many parents weren't ready to get their kids driving themselves so that they don't have to, I don't think that raising the age would matter. We have all gotten use to the drinking age being 21, but it hasn't always been that way. You adjust and maybe save a life.

Posted by: Don on Sep 10, 2008 at 09:50 AM
Heres the problem, cell phones. To many kids texting friends while driving. How many kids will die till they change the policies. I think they should raise the age to 18 and maybe then they would learn responsablity before they start to drive. They also need to make it a primary reason to stop kids that are on the phone. Maybe parents should be more responsible also and take the stupid phone away from the kids if they want to drive. It would put their attention to driving instead of texting somebody.

Posted by: Scott Location: lincoln on Sep 10, 2008 at 09:48 AM
horay! i really hope this is passed for everyones sake. i cant count the number of kids i see behind the wheel that have absolutely have no idea as to what they are supposed to be doing, let alone even making an attempt at doing so. i was almost killed around this time last year because of a drunk girl that had turned 16 not two weeks beforehand. the witnesses had been following her from o street all the way to van dorn before she swerved one last time.... directly head on with me, landing me in the hospital for three days. so yes, i would like to see much more student driver cars for. let the couple extra years be focused on education of proper driving techniques. not just a couple hours with a teacher or responsible adult in the vehicle, but a lot. let them get used to driving like civilized individuals, instead of having them anwser 25 questions and fake being a good driver for 10 minutes and let them go wreak havoc on the streets. good luck to everyone involved!

Posted by: Mary Location: Lincoln on Sep 10, 2008 at 01:36 AM
A teen at 17 or 18 will be just as inexperienced a driver as those at 16 if the minimum age is raised. I would be more in favor of driving restrictions such as daylight driving only, driving only with a responsible adult, or raising minumum education and driving experience requirements.

Posted by: bob Location: lincoln on Sep 9, 2008 at 10:02 PM
I think this is a great idea!

Posted by: jake martin Location: lincoln,ne on Sep 9, 2008 at 09:23 PM
for god sake don't change the driving age. do those people not realize how much trouble they will cause