Driving Age Should Not Be Raised
Driving age should not be raised Vroom, vroom! The first time behind the wheel alone--exciting, nerve-racking, free. No parents or instructors, just yourself and the car; all decisions are solely made by you. Are you ready, are you... old enough? The discussion of keeping the minimum driving age at 16 or raising it to 21 revolves around generic maturity, but there is more than just that to look at. After reviewing all pros and cons, the minimum age for being allowed to operate motor vehicles should be kept at 16.
Responsibility is key in life. Learning to drive teaches a great need for responsibility, because if it is not taken serious then a person’s life could become endangered. Some will say that 16 year olds should not be allowed to drive because they are irresponsible; if they take the required classes and pass their tests then they have already developed that key responsibility before they can even be allowed to drive. According to the state of Michigan’s laws, by the time a student has received their level two driver’s license at 16 years of age, they would have completed a total of 30 hours of classroom education, 56 hours behind the wheel (two of which are night driving), two written exams, an off-roadway test, and an on-roadway test. Soon teenagers will be off on their own without parents. They need experience and practice of being on their own, and what better way than learning how to safely drive and then practicing it. Without experience of real world situations teenagers will be lost and confused later, learning and practicing to drive will give the proper experience needed to tackle upcoming new situations. If they must wait till they are 21 to drive then they will not be able to overcome struggles with mature decision making, which they will develop through their practice and understanding of the rules of the road. If the teens learn the skills earlier at age 16 then they can still have guidance and support from their parents but if they must
Responsibility is key in life. Learning to drive teaches a great need for responsibility, because if it is not taken serious then a person’s life could become endangered. Some will say that 16 year olds should not be allowed to drive because they are irresponsible; if they take the required classes and pass their tests then they have already developed that key responsibility before they can even be allowed to drive. According to the state of Michigan’s laws, by the time a student has received their level two driver’s license at 16 years of age, they would have completed a total of 30 hours of classroom education, 56 hours behind the wheel (two of which are night driving), two written exams, an off-roadway test, and an on-roadway test. Soon teenagers will be off on their own without parents. They need experience and practice of being on their own, and what better way than learning how to safely drive and then practicing it. Without experience of real world situations teenagers will be lost and confused later, learning and practicing to drive will give the proper experience needed to tackle upcoming new situations. If they must wait till they are 21 to drive then they will not be able to overcome struggles with mature decision making, which they will develop through their practice and understanding of the rules of the road. If the teens learn the skills earlier at age 16 then they can still have guidance and support from their parents but if they must
Cited: Q & A Information on Michigan’s Graduated Licensing law. AAA Michigan, 2010. Print. What Every Driver Must Know. [Federal Government], September 2010. Print. Michigan’s Graduated Driver Licensing: A Guide for Parents. AAA Michigan; Michigan Department of Education; Michigan Department of State; Michigan Department of State Police, Office of Highway Safety Planning; Michigan Driver & Traffic Safety Education Association; Traffic Safety Association of Michigan; 2012. Print. Rox, A. J. “Driving Age Should Not be Raised.” Standard-Examiner. 3 March 2011. 10 March 2013.