Kurt Jennings
Argument Analysis
Professor Ellis
Driving for many teenagers is there first passage to freedom, nothing is more exciting to many teens than becoming the legal age to drive. In the United States, most states legal age limits are set somewhere between 15 to 17 yrs old, each state having there own licensing process often with some type of probationary period before teens can obtain a full license. Recently law makers in Florida,
Georgia, Delaware, Illinois, and Massachusetts have debated raising the legal driving age. Many of them agreeing that it will make roads safer for everyone. These law makers want to see a change in the legal driving age because teenagers are more likely to be distracted by mobile media, driving is considered to an adult responsibility, younger drivers are more likely to be in a serious accident, and government has the right to restrict driving to make it safer.
There are viable arguments for and against change of the legal driving age, both having good key points. The article states the legal driving age varies from country to country, however in some states of of America the legal age is 15 or younger. More often than not, the legal driving age comes a year or so if not more before the legal age to vote. Since statistics show that young drivers are most likely to have accidents, it leads to law makers out cry of raising the legal driving age from time to time, although its unlikely to happen. The article states that the legal driving age in America comes before being able to vote; thus those law makers would want the legal driving age raised to 18.
However, in many European countries the driving age is already 18, and they too have looked at raising the legal driving age. Easily distracted young people, and studies showing young drivers are the most likely age group to be in serious accidents are the major key factors for wanting this change. Arguments against the change derive their arguments from the key factor of:
Cited: “This house would raise the legal driving age to 18” Idebate.org January 26 2012.