As I read articles like this one I wonder more and more if teens should be allowed to drive. Granted, the teen driver that died because of the accident didn’t even have a license, so the fact that she was driving was illegal. One of her passengers died. Another one is in critical condition with an amputated leg, one is in serious condition and one is in fair condition – with a broken clavical, hip, leg and ankle. Maybe Europe has the right idea when they don’t let teens under the age of 18 drive? [via Julie]
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Teen Drivers…
16 replies on “Teen Drivers…”
i heard that story before…. frankly, i’m surprised that nobody’s suing the dad. i mean, the guy bought a car for his daughter who wasn’t even a licensed driver!
I don’t think that it’s teens specifically that shouldn’t be driving — I think it’s stupid people. A few weeks ago, this happened in my home town; an example of teens driving who did nothing wrong. The *adult* was the one who was out of line.
Washington state instituted a graduated drivers license last year, although it is too soon to have any meaningful stats on safety and prevention.
In New Zealand there is a graduated license system, but I still think getting a licence albeit restricted in some way at 15 is way too young. Even for that, I never learned to drive until I was 17 and I wasn’t driving alone until I was 18, something that I am now thankful for.
In my job I have seen so many scenarios or heard of stories of people who have been seriously injured or dead from car accidents and my own little way have to help them pick up the pieces. It’s so hard for all concerned.
I’m with you on that one being that in 2 years Katie will be allowed to have a learner’s permit I just dont see that happening 🙂
It’s 17 here in the UK, although last I heard they were going to change it so that everyone had to have at least a year’s tuition before taking their test. But unfortunately, the testing centres here have quotas (something which I fell victim to), and they *have* to fail a certain percentage of people taking the test regardless of how well they did, whether they admit it or not. I got failed the first time on something I should never have been failed on because of this. I agree that 15’s too young, but in my opinion Government quotas get in the way of a lot of good drivers passing a lot of the time. Being able to drive well isn’t the same as being able to pass your test, and people would do well to remember that, I think.
I didn’t think it was too young when I was 15, but at 33, I certainly do – maybe I’m realizing how young 15 really is (though 15-year olds are ready for a lot of things). Last week a girl and her friends coming home from prom broadsided a family in a minivan after running a red light. Everyone’s in critical condition, and I can’t help but think that’s an argument for graduated licenses (help me, I’m turning into my parents!).
I realized last night after I posted this that the only person injured the night of my Prom in High School was in a car that was hit by an *adult* drunk driver that ran a red light. She survived and was fine once she recovered – although she missed finals when she was in the hospital.
I think I’m suffering from the same thing as Donna is – it’s a matter of being 32 and seeing just how young kids are at 16. That added to the fact that my son is only 5 years away from his learner’s permit.
As for the father of the girl that was driving in this accident? I totally agree, someone needs to nail him. *WHO* lets their 16 year old without a license drive? Sad, very sad.
I remember, at 15, spending the summer in Texas and having my roomate, who was 16, tell me that she just had her license. I remember being envious and scared at the same time, because this girl couldn’t even navigate her way to the cafeteria. Eight years later, back in NY/NYC, I’ve seen so many horrific things on the road and I’m beginning to think that some people should never ever be allowed in the driver’s seat. It may seem harsh, but having a car wrap itself into a lightpole and the driver decapitated in a 30mph zone … after he was doing 60 … is not something one forgets easily.
I think this topic should go along with the new stirrings about making the legal drinking age 18 … have lawmakers spoken to teenagers recently?
I purposely did NOT get a license until I was 22 because I felt uncomfortable being a teenage driver…and having the responsibility of other people’s lives in my hands at 16 scared me….
I just like the idea that people have to wait a long time and take a lot of tests before they get licenses in Europe. That way, not only do they really need to want it, but they have to prove that they can drive before they are allowed to do so legally. I may be wrong about this, but it’s the impression I’ve gotten from my friends about how things are done there. It’s entirely too easy to get a license, or drive without one, in this country, which leads to incidents like these.
Well, to be honest, all you really have to prove in Europe (and certainly the UK) is that you know enough to pass the test. A family friend is a police pursuit driver, and both he and my dad told me upon getting my full license that passing the test which let me out on the road didn’t nearly mean I knew how to drive. My dad actually didn’t let me out on my own for a month after passing, and after then only rarely until I got my own car – which makes sense, really. People in Europe are only taught how to pass the test, and as soon as we pass virtually everyone drives like a maniac for the first six months, at least. Europe’s different, yes, but it’s not necessarily any safer.
That said, I wanted to learn as early as possible, because I wanted to be out of the maniac stage as early as possible. But that’s just me.
New data demonstrating the effect of the I Promise Program is contained in a letter
to Mr. Joel Lourie, Member of the House of Representatives, State of South Carolina.
The data demonstrates a 29% reduction in collisions and a 34% reduction in violations for teens ages 15 – 18 years old. This mirrors results achieved in those jurisdictions with rigorous graduated licensing laws and would be a great add-on.
To view, go to: http://www.ipromiseprogram.com
“ENTER” and click on the link: “The South Carolina Experience”
Best,
Gary Direnfeld, MSW, Executive Director
I Promise Program Inc.
20 Suter Crescent,
Dundas, Ontario, Canada
L9H 6R5
DONT change the driving age
never mind, DO change it…..lower it
This is some bullshit!!!
In south carolina it is 15 for a learners permit for 6 months, and then a restricted license(cant drive after dark) until youre 17. i think that if you can pass the drivers tests you’re given, you’re capable of being able to get your full license. Plenty of adults act just as careless as people think teens do.