In the United States, we put age restrictions on buying certain products and doing certain activities. Usually, those restrictions are lifted either at age 18 or age 21. However, there is one notable age-restricted activity that has a lower age cap, and it can be argued that this activity is more dangerous than other age-restricted acts. So, is there a case to be made that the United States should raise the legal driving age?
Safety Concerns
Perhaps the most dominant argument for raising the driving age is that teenagers aged 16-17 are involved in fatal crashes far more often than those aged 18-19. This seems like a good argument, and maybe it is, but something to consider is that perhaps the crash rate is lower for the older teenagers because they’ve had multiple years of driving experience by that point. If they weren’t allowed to get licenses until they were 18, would we see the number of fatal crashes among 18-19-year-olds increase? Perhaps, but it is difficult to know for certain.
Testing Concerns
The difficulty of practical driving tests varies widely by location. Some test administrators fail students for not checking their mirrors once or twice, while others pass students who drive with one hand and don’t check their mirrors at all. So, if less-responsible, younger teenagers have an especially lax driving instructor, there could be thousands of unqualified drivers on the road. All drivers need quality education and testing. If you’re an adult who feels unsure about your driving skills, you could consider refresher courses Township PA to build your skills more.
Should the United States raise the legal driving age? That’s up to you. There is no clear-cut answer, as there are also many benefits to allowing 16-year-olds to drive, such as giving them transportation so they can get a job. These points are simply food for thought.