The lowest driving age in the US is 14. In my opinion that is a little extreme. I think the legal driving age in Virginia should be lowered from 16 and 3 months to 15 and 6 months. Right now in the US legal driving ages range from 14 to 18. That is not fair for the 18 year olds. They would be going into college or a new work environment not being an experienced driver. In my opinion the driving age should be all the same in the continental US being 15 for learners permit and 15 and 6 months for driver’s license. In other areas it should be lowered or raised depending on the region.
The first major reason the driving age should be lowered is that it would make teenagers more responsible. In my experience it would have helped if I had a license to do things such as get a job. Many times teens want money, so what’s a better way than to earn it? The problem with that is most parents work too, so there wouldn't be a ride for the teen. Another reason is they could help out with errands like running little brothers or sisters around, or going to the store. Responsibility is absent in many teens, and it would be raised earlier in life if teens had the chance to deal with “the real world.”
One key point that critics make is that teens are reckless, and hostile with road rage. They make teens sound like animals, or criminals. In reality most teens are very conscientious about road safety and care about others safety as well as their own. There are, in some cases, instances where underage drinking and drugs play a part in wrecks. But just because some teens make bad decisions doesn’t mean all should be punished.
While on the topic of drugs and drinking, most students get into that after school, when parents are late to pick them up. If they had a car, they’d be less tempted to get into that. Lowering the driving age would also help the students academically. I know many students who can’t stay after school because of lack of a ride. Tutoring and sports are essential to being a “well rounded student.”
In conclusion, lowering the driving age would raise responsibility, grades, and college acceptance. Teens are used to high priced living, and more are failing to take life seriously. Driving will help them see how a split second decision can change your life for the better, or the worse.
Should the legal driving age be changed?
It's all right.
I think you need to combat critics' cold hard statistics showing that teens are the most dangerous drivers--they simply get into the most accidents. (Query whether that's because of teenagers' ages or their lack of experience... so if the driving age were raised to 18, then 18-21 year olds would be the most dangerous.)
Also, why nationwide? Isn't there something to be said for urban areas (and urban states) having a higher driving age, with more people on the roads (= greater danger) and more mass transportation (=less need for a car)? Combat that argument as well.
Dealing with the %26quot;real world%26quot; is not a very strong argument--I want teens to deal with the real world by doing something with their lives, not by driving around 2 ton death machines on roads.
If you're writing formally, you need to get rid of the contractions.
Should the legal driving age be changed?
where can you drive at 14???
if anything, the driving age should be upped. at 16 (or 15.5) you're not ready for that responsibility! do you know how many kids get in accidents every year? driving is a huge deal and so many people (not just kids) take it for granted every day. look up how many kids are killed every year.
I think the legal age for EVERYTHING should be 18. A car is more dangerous than a gun and you have to be 18 to buy a shotgun or rifle, 21 for liquor or a hand gun. How stupid are these rules anyway? If you are considered a legal adult at 18, then you should be able to do everything an adult does.
In Ontario, we have a graduated licencing system, which, if you ask me, works quite well.
At age 16, you can get your beginner's, called a G1. You must have this for at least 12 months (9 months if you graduate from a provincially-approved driver's ed program), at which time you take a road test to get your G2. A minimum of one year later, you're eligible to get your G licence (a full, regular licence), after passing another road test. All of this, from start to finish, has to be done before your licence expires (5 years).
The G1 rules are that you can't drive between midnight and 5am, you must have a blood-alcohol level of 0.00, no divided highways, no more vehicle occupants than the number of working seatbelts, and you must have a fully licenced driver with at least 4 years experience in the front seat next to you.
The G2 allows you to drive by yourself, but still with some rules: 0.00 blood-alcohol level, no more people than working seat belts, and nothing over 5 tons.
I think it's a good system, because you must gain some experience before being turned loose. We still churn out a lot of unsafe and erratic drivers in this province, but it could be worse.
Most deaths occur for the teenage age range!
And of course their is this group MADD Mothers against drunk driving
Definately not. You may feel that you are responsible enough to drive, but look at your peers- most are not. Immature drivers do cause accidents, and i'm sorry, but most teens are not mature enough to be driving- even at 16 or 17! There are public transportation systems for all the rides you'd ever need. I'm only 20 myself, but most of the people my age shouldn't be driving! Teens brains haven't finished maturing yet- there is a section of the brain that lets you know when a situation is dangerous.. that part is one of the last to mature. I can't tell you how many times I've almost been rammed by some stupid 16 year old with a bunch of friends in the car, or some girl on a cell phone.
Check this out, but i'll even copy and paste for you. I think this sums up my point- teens are dangerous on the road!
http://www.rmiia.org/Auto/Teens/Teen_Dri…
National Teen Driving Statistics
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers.
16 year-olds have higher crash rates than drivers of any other age.
It is estimated that 16-year-olds are 3 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash than the average of all drivers.
3,657 drivers age 15-20 died in car crashes in 2003, making up 14% of all driver involved in fatal crashes, and 18% of all drivers involved in police-reported crashes (NHTSA).
25% of teen drivers killed in 2003 had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or greater. A BAC of .08 is the level which all states define drunk driving.
$40.8 billion was the estimated economic impact of auto accidents involving 15-20 year old drivers in 2002 (NHTSA).
Inexperience behind the wheel is the leading cause of teenage crashes.
In 2001, two thirds of teens killed in auto accidents were not wearing seat belts.
Almost half of the crash deaths involving 16-year-old drivers in 2003 occurred when the beginning drivers were driving with teen passengers (IIHS).
Statistics show that 16 and 17-year-old driver death rates increase with each additional passenger (IIHS).
Colorado Teen Driving Statistics
96 16-20 year-olds died on Colorado roadways in 2004; 91 died in 2003.
In 2004, 44 16-17 year olds were killed in car crashes. 37 were killed in 2003.
In 2004, 65.6% of Colorado teens killed in car crashes were not wearing seat belts.
In 2004, nearly 80% of teen passengers who died in car crashes were riding with teen drivers.
In 2002, Colorado drivers under age 21 were involved in 11,941 traffic crashes.
New Mexico Teen Driving Statistics
New Mexico has the second highest crash fatality rate for teens in the country.
61% of all teenage passengers involved in crashes in New Mexico were riding in cars driven by other teenagers.
Although I assume you are looking for additional factual support for your essay, I would like to offer some constructive critisism of your writing instead. First, I think your factual content is fine. You are obviously passionate about the subject. What I would suggest you change is the organization of the topics. When I was in high school, I learned about the %26quot;five paragraph essay%26quot; and what I learned was very helpful not only later in high school, but in college, law school and even today as a practicing lawyer.
Your introductory paragraph should introduce each of the following paragraphs. For example, if your first point is, %26quot;it would make teenagers more responsible,%26quot; as stated in your second paragraph, you should introduce the second paragraph in the second sentence of the first paragraph. The second paragraph should focus on that point and only that point. The third sentence in the first paragraph should introduce the third paragraph and the fourth sentence should introduce the fourth paragraph. The last paragraph is a conclusion, which should basically restate each point you made in the first paragraph. Each paragraph should be five sentences, it could be four to six, but try to use five. The first paragraph should only be five, as should the last paragraph. Each paragraph needs an introductory sentence, two to four (usually three, especially in the first and last paragraph) supporting sentences and a conclusion. That is it!
You got a really good start, but as my old law school professor used to say, the key to excellent writing is revision, revision, revision. Once you organize the essay a bit,cut out unnecessary sentences, add a few details here and there, and focus your points, you will have a great essay. Remember that your teacher really doesn't care about the content, just how you organize the content.
Good luck!
BTW, I received my driver's license when I was 14, but I think that was too young. I think the key to good driving is in driver's training. I am sure that many 14, 15 and 16 year olds would make better drivers than many older adults, with the right training.
Me personally I thinkit is fine at 16 as long as a parent or gaurdian approves. If they raise it to 18 it wont keep new drivers from having accidents, accidents are that accidents. They are more likely to occur with inexperienced drivers, the only reason why studies show that 18-20 year olds have less accidents is because they have at least a year or 2 driving experience.
If you wanna thow out stupid statistics heres one. More accidents are caused by sober people, so that being said driving sober should be illegal.
It just has to do with maturity not everyone should get there license at 16, so like I said it should be up to their parent or gaurdian weather they get it.
Sorry for my little rant.
Also try to argue the point about how old people cant drive.
I agree with buddyL, In my personal opinion I think Every few years one should have to at least take a test be it writtin or road test.
Obviously, you're 15-1/2 yourself. When you're 20, you'll be arguing to lower the drinking age! But yes, I agree those age limits really should be uinform across the country. So should the requirements and tests be uniform. Arbitrary cutoffs of older drivers isn't fair either. Whether it's youth or old age, it's competence that matters, not physical age. My mother drove at age 12, but then, back in those days they didn't have driver's licneses yet! Some 90-year-olds are better drivers than anybody. So there's lots of variation. Driving education for new drivers is important, but then after they pass and get their licenses, so many folks just let all that learning fly out the window and do things %26quot;their way.%26quot; And these fool drivers are all ages.
