Driving Age Limit Essay, Research Paper
The Age Limit for Driving
The age limit for driving among teenagers and the elderly should be changed for various reasons and the problems that are endured by these age groups should be looked at closer. The law should changed so that a teenager cannot receive their drivers license until they reach the age of 18 and the elderly should have to retake their driving test annually. My views on this subject are strong for various reasons.
One reason a teenager should be 18 years old before receiving their license is because at the age 16 they?re still in high school, they?re immature and they?re not responsible enough to be able to drive. Usually at this age a teenager has other things on their mind like friends, hanging out, partying, etc. You hear of so many car accidents involving teenagers ranging from 16-17 years old where an innocent person lost their life because of carelessness. I?m not saying that all 16 year olds are irresponsible because there are some that are responsible. It?s just at this age they?re basically still kids. If you hand a 16 year old the keys to the brand new Mustang you bought them for their 16th birthday, they tend to want to show off and think that they are inevitable to dangering or harming themselves or others. Then you have some teens that decide to go out partying and don?t think twice about getting behind the wheel. Unfortanently what they don?t realize is that alcohol impairs your driving and lives can be lost due to the carelessness of a teenager who chose to drink and drive. These views may sound sarcastic, but they?re true among teenagers and even adults. I just think that 18 is a sufficient age for someone to receive their drivers license. At least by this age a teenager is moving into adulthood, more responsible, out of school and moving toward career choices. And they?re at the age where they can take more responsibility for their actions.
Now, the elderly, age 65+ on the other hand, should have to take annual drivers tests to maintain their driving privileges. The reason for this is because elderly people tend to be careless on the road also. They often times don?t pay attention when switching lanes or reading signs. They also tend to drive under the speed limit, which can cause a great deal of frustration among other drivers. Another problem that I have about elderly drivers is the fact that I believe they are at high risk for accident and don?t usually suffer the consequences of their actions. For example, Aunt Ethel, who is 75 years old, drives her car through a house injuring a person inside, but doesn?t suffer the consequences because she can?t remember what happened. Maybe she didn?t remember, but why should she go free. If I was in that situation, you better believe that I would get a number of violations whether I remember or not. I?m not discriminating against the elderly; I just feel that annual testing would be beneficial to them and other drivers. It could determine whether their reflexes needed for quick action to avoid an accident are good and whether their eyesight is well enough to read road sign, and if they are capable of driving properly in traffic. Another important test that should be done is to make sure their health is good enough to be behind the wheel, so they don?t suffer an ailment like a heart attack or anything else that may impair their driving abilities.
The issues I have about teenage driving and the elderly driving should be a concern for The Department of Transportation. Maybe by raising the age for teenage driving may make teens more responsible when getting behind the wheel. By this age they should be able to realize that driving is a privilege that can easily be taken away. As far as the elderly driving, I think annual driving tests can be to their benefit. It will keep them and everyone else on the road safer. I didn?t write this essay to single out teenagers and elderly people. Everyone should practice safe driving; these two groups just need more attention.