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Should Minimum Driving Age Be Raised Essay

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The minimum driving age should be raised because teen drivers need more experience and deadly car crashes will decrease. As a teenager one of the many things wanted is freedom and independence. Although knowing what you want is a good thing, it is not so good to take a risk on something as serious as driving and have a “know-it all” attitude. With motor vehicle crashes being the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, raising the minimum driving age is a very important decision. When considering this change we need to remember that it is a decision that will affect all of us. Therefore, if anything the minimum driving age should be raised to 18. One of the major differences between older driver and teen drivers is that teens are much more deadly drivers. This is another reason why the minimum driving age should be raised. For example, researchers with the Insurance …show more content…

Some might say that raising the driving age wouldn’t allow teens to get the experience they need to become better drivers. However, co-driving and graduated driving programs both give teens experience without compromising the safety of others. In fact, since the first graduated driver programs were instituted, there has been 1,348 fewer deadly crashes involving drivers ages 16-19. Some states have strict driving laws that require at least 70 hours of supervised driving, a minimum intermediate license age of 17, driving after 8 p.m. or a ban driving on with other teens in the vehicle. Graduated licensing programs restrict these actions until teen drivers have more experience because teens in the first few months of licensure have a high risk of crashing. Although no state currently enforces all of the laws at once, they prove to be very effective like when enforced in New Jersey, which is known for their tough programs for teen drivers, there was a 30% drop in highway fatalities among

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