Raising Driving Age to 18

The April 22, 2005 newspaper article is headlined, Teenager Dies in Crash, in Knoxville, Tennessee: just another victim of inexperienced teenage driving who adds to the high statistics on casualties resulting from inefficient laws. According to the teen driving statistics that are provided by the insurance companies, 16 year-olds are three times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than individuals who fall within the range of the average age of all drivers. Therefore, I think the legal driving age should be raised to 18. One thing I've found is that it isn't necessarily the age, but that they are inexperienced. The driver's ed classes are also factors. The classes need to emphasis more on driving safely for the rest of your life. Although reckless teenage driving has recently resulted in couple tragic deaths, most teens are mature enough and knowledgeable of safety on the road. Safety and financial problems will get better by raising the legal driving age to 18. I've researched about teens driving at the age of 16, and I found out that the deaths aren't from reckless driving alone, but also the drivers are inexperienced. I was reading the Times Herald-Record and the headline stated " Driver's ed need not to be just another 'goofy class' ". In driver's ed classes, they need to teach the kids not only about passing the driving test but also how to drive independently with confidence.To be able to achieve that goal, the teachers should tell the student more about their life experiences and what they have gone through. A confident driver is a better driver than someone who is scared and confused. When the driving age is raised to 18, one is more experienced with life and making decisions, with that one can drive much more safely and will not harm oneself or others around him. More importantly, when one drives at the age of 18, he can help himself financially since the cost of insurance is cheaper once he gets older.

Have you ever driven down the express way and seen, 2005 fatality rate 865 in Louisville, buckle up for those you love? Imagine how many of those lives were teens under the age of 18. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that 3,657 drivers from 15 to 20 years-old were killed in 2003. With statistics like these, teens walking home feeling uncertain of their futures. They ask themselves " What will my next car ride bring, will I get home safely?" There are chances of a car shooting out from every proverbial corner at 60 miles per hour. No one will ever know. 16 years-old drivers have things they have not gone through yet that could mean their death if they don't understand how to drive defensively. They must be able to see and watch out for things around them. When they are driving home, they are always under a constant fear of the certain "unknown"; why can't we lift that off their chests by making them feel safer on the road?

Fortunately, not all teens are reckless driver. Some of them show maturity and they are able to comprehend the rules of the road. Even with that said, you ask why to raise the driving age to 18? You can not get too much practice right? Even though teens shows maturity, but that is not what all a good driver needs, experience is the key to safe driving. By raising the legal driving age to 18 can help achieve that goal. People, by law, become adults at the age of 18. They have more responsibility themselves, and are more conscious with their actions. They are ready to deal with the consequences of what they did. They will be more careful when they drive, which make them safe and good drivers.

All in all, raising the legal driving age to 18 necessary. It can resolves many issues about reckless teens roaming the streets. It also reduces accident rates and improves the statistics that we have today about teens driving. Driving safely isn't the only thing this law will accomplish, but also driving with respect to others. Just because of this law, many different and awesome things will happen: people will save more money, less tragic deaths caused by reckless teens, and the most important all, one will have more confident when they drive. I believe this is a thing that just has to be done.