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

Wow ... no subways .. I can't imagine living with one. I've been using them to commute even before kindergarten with my mother and I still use it to commute by myself since grade 4. I see how a lower age limit is a necessity in rural states such as Iowa, the contrary should be true of densely populated areas like New York City. I guess if there were fewer 16 year-olds on the road we'd have less traffic...

Hehe wouldn't your car get stolen in about 3 days in NYC?

Originally posted by Ryujin
Lol, Casual, he does, I was saying IF he didn't and couldn't until he was older... ;) And Taxis DON'T come here at all, lol...

i know i said IF as well

anyway.. i live in denmark.. here we dont have the same needs.. i had no idea how isolated things could get in america.. what i base my oppenion on is of course how i see the problem.. and cant you allready get a license at 16 over there?? then theres no problem if there really is the need..

im just saying that theres no reason to do so in denmark.. theres busses, trains and all that almost all over the country.. if you want to get some where, you can go there without a license..

sorry if ive upset anyone, i was just thinking denmark as you where thinkins america

Kindof offtopic again, but
haven't you got say, mopeds there?
Small scooter things?

Our age limit for them is, and has always been 15.
When you're 17 you can drive a lightweight MC etc etc..
And then, finally, when 18 you get your car license.

Haven't you guys have that over in the states?
That'd solve stuff, and if you DO have, then why'd every kid need a car to move around in?

Yeah you can drive a moped at 18 here. You can drive a car at 17 but only at 18 do you get a full licence. The licence at 17 is provisional...you still pay full insurance and need to have someone with a full licence with you in the car at all times.

I'm feeling left out so I might as well throw in my 16-year old opinion as well as perhaps another viewpoint.

I live in Newfoundland, Canada, and you can get a learner's permit at the age or 16. To do this, you have to take a written test, and get a score of 85% or higher. Then you get your learners permit, and can drive a car:

-with only one person in the car, who is above 21 and has had a license for more than 4 years
-not between midnight and 5 AM
-with a sign in the back of the window saying "Novice Driver".

You can upgrade your learners permit to a full driver's license after 8 months if you complete a driver's education course, and after 12 months if you don't. To do this you have to take an on-road test. Then you get your liscense, but with two year-long restrictions:

-the number of passengers is restricted to the number of seatbelts in the car
-you cannot drive between the hours of midnight and 5 AM.

Then you get your full, regular driver's liscense. I think this is a good system.

I think that 16 year olds should be allowed to drive, and this is my opinion because I want to drive, but I completely understand what the other guys are talking about. There are far too many immature guys (mostly, but girls, too) that are 16 and want to be able to drive. Because of this I can understand the stereotype of the 16 year old, and am glad that I am not like this. I like to think that I make good decisions by not drinking or doing drugs, but unfortunately I am in the minority when it comes to this, especially here where I live.

As to public transportation, I have lived in Norway, as well as Houston, TX - and I would also like to add that public transportation in Europe (from what I have experienced from travel, etc.) is that the quality is much better in Europe. Teenagers ride public transportation everywhere, because it is safe, affordable, and reliable. Here in Newfoundland, I would not be surprised if only 15% of people at my school have rode on the bus here. Its just unheard of, which is why people want to drive cars at 16.

tom

Originally posted by trhaynes
... and I would also like to add that public transportation in Europe (from what I have experienced from travel, etc.) is that the quality is much better in Europe...

thank you

that what im talking about.. i admit i have no idea of how bad the public transport is in USA... as well as most of you dont know how it is in Europe.. this leads to misunderstandings.. so we will never agree on what age should be the legal age..

but the laws are also different from country to country.. so i guess we will have to rely on our goverments to make that 'right' decission, while taking the needs for personal transportation in consideration..

Contrary to the general stereotypes set by movies and TV, New York is safe, black people are more entertaining to hang out with than white or asian people [b][i]([/b][/i]yes I'm asian ..[b][i])[/b][/i], and only certain small areas are unsafe ..

I'm surprised that no one has taken the time to analyze WHO is saying WHAT.

For the most part, it's the people at or below age 16 that say "Yes, 16 year olds can drive".
It's the poeple around 18 or above who say "No, they shouldnt."

of coures the young people here are going to say Yes. they are impatient, they want to drive NOW, and they all think that they're gonna be good, without any previous experience.

I'm going with cybling on this one. at that age, your hormones are through the roof. You're young, inexperienced, and still a bit crazy. I'm 15 myself, and I belive that I am all of these things, and even if someone let 16 year olds drive, i'd be extremely cautious. Cautious about going outside my front door, that is.

16 year olds are just too immature to handle something like a car, regardless of how mature they may seem for their age.

Do you know how a 16 year old is too immature?
because he argues that he is ready for a car.

A mature 16 year old in my opinion would not argue for it, he would in fact accept the fact that he is immature.

"To be mature is to accept the fact that you're immature." Sounds backwards, but it's true.


And one more thing. Cybling said he bikes to work every day. You can imagine how in-shape he must be.

Ahem...

supahsekzy, what age do you propose then? 18...? That way you can start learning how to drive while you're a senior in highschool? The age most kids get drunk or high...? Wait, there MAY be one age that gets into more trouble and drinks more than 18, and that would be 19-22 year olds, kids at college... Maybe you should learn how to drive when you're 20 and in college, partying every night? Or maybe 21, when you can legally buy alchohol? Maybe that would be a better age...?

/end sarcasm...