DEBATE: Should 16-year-olds be allowed to drive?

I say absolutely not on this issue. It all boils down to experience and maturity...and @ age 16....both are lacking no matter how mature one seems to be. Also 16 is still an impressionable age...so that opens doors to whole other issues/influences (2fast2furious...etc)

I mean if you cant even go to an R rated movie (age 18) why would you be allowed to drive?

Also..this is nothing against gecko personally....but phrases like this scare me

I'm 16 and I wouldn't do anything stupid. I'm not that kinda guy. I think I will be a good driver."

It scares me for a couple reasons. The major reason being most 16yr olds will get behind the wheel with this kinda ****y(c o c k y...damn sensor)...good driver attitude. It takes years of driving/experience to even be a decent driver. I know. I was this way @ 16. I didnt drive much...but when i did i thought i was a god behind the wheel. Well after HS..i drove to college everyday (2 hours round trip) through cities..and late at night (night classes went to 10:30). So i gained a lot of experience!!! Now when i think about how i was at 16...its F*n frightening. I cant even realize the danger i may have put myself in.

I think the age should be 18...and drivers ed should last more than a few weeks! Also it wouldnt be a bad idea to have parents "log" there kids driving...and you would have to have a certain number of hours driving before you can apply for the test!!

I drove since 16 and I think it's good idea except no drunk driving :D

wtf? lol... That's what permits are for, you have to have driven a certain amount of time with your parents and they have to sign it before you can get a license... And if you drive at 18 instead of 16, you're not going to automatically start being a better driver because you started later... And from what I've seen seniors at my high school aren't any more mature than sophomores or juniors, in some cases seniors are LESS mature, so why do they have more right to drive than a 16 year old?

You can also vote at 18, yet you have to be 21 to drink... They're trusting you with electing a president, but not drinking responsibly??

The system's all ****ed up...

wtf? lol... That's what permits are for, you have to have driven a certain amount of time with your parents and they have to sign it before you can get a license.

Well my permit...i needed 6 months before i could apply for a test. That doesnt mean 6 months of actual driving. I could scratch my ass for six months (actually i kinda did) and still be eligable for the test. Im talking about actually loging hard hours behind the wheel...not just a certain time frame. But maybe thats what other ppl do..i dont know...but its not that way where i live.

Here in Olympia I think they have an okay system. I'm not sure of some of these rules(which ones get lifted at what age, etc.) You can't drive around at dark(w/ permit), or have friends in car(until license). You can't have more then 3 people under 20(until 6mo after you get license) in the car with you that aren't members of immediate family. 2 tickets and your license is removed. When you have a permit, no friends in car and must have a driver that's 21+.

Here it's 6 months and 20 hours of driving before license....

Damn alpha. Those r sum great laws!!

"You can't have more then 3 people under 20"

Thats a great one!!! Cause whenever someone gets there license....everyone that isnt old enough yet PILES into there car. I hate that. It also causes more distractions...and is more likely to cause the driver to show off lol

Edit :

Here it's 6 months and 20 hours of driving before license....

Yeah i never had/heard of that. Also my parents didnt sign anything if i recall. The only signatures that were needed for anything (except the check to pay for the class) were the driving instructors and my own. But maybe the law has changed....its been a while (i'll be 21 in 3 weeks lol)

Yeah, but for some of us that's the only way to get around...

Actually the friend rule is applied until you reach age 18. I'm doing driver's ed right now hehe. :p

I'm doing driver's ed right now hehe

Oh man...what a thread to read while currently in drivers ed lol.

Just remember....NEVER take your hands off the wheel (even at a stop light thats 3 minutes long). Trust me...I know from experience :-(.

(what'd she want......my arms were tired and we werent going anywhere for a while.....)