Sweet eighteen? Our Governor recently suggested that driver’s licenses be issued at the age of eighteen rather than sixteen to reduce reckless driving as well as DUIs. Sweet sixteen will be no more all due to a politician who didn’t think of the consequences. For starters, people are reckless at all ages. There are professional adults who are allowed to have their license even though they can’t drive a straight line on a flat, stable surface. School activities as well as classes require a student to be able to drive. From practices to early-morning classes, a student needs to be mobile, or the activity will disappear. There also is a great financial disadvantage for not only the driver but also the local government. If schools were unleashed with hundreds of students who can’t get around, schools would have to fund buses which lead to gas money and paychecks that would have to come up out of the blue.
It’s usually thought that as people get older, they naturally get smarter. This is very much untrue and should never be assumed in driving, especially when a simple mistake could cost a life. There are numerous people out there with cellphones, laptops, and fast food out there who feel that their life is much more important than everyone else’s. I’m not saying that teens don’t text and drive too, but there are too many adults that know better. Age has very little to do with IQ. The other day I was on my way to play practice when, driving through one of the many construction zones nearby, I was caught behind a middle-aged man who was driving at about 20 miles an hour zigzagging in between the orange barrels. This man obviously had been driving for many years before this incident and yet could not act responsibly in a vehicle.
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I totally agree with you on this topic! I don't think that 2 years is really going to make that much of a difference especially when people of older age are behaving more immature and irresponsibly than 16 year olds. For me, I was a very cautious driver at age 16 so I was responsible and I did fine. I think though, as people get older, they think they are so much more experienced and they begin to act irresponsibly and in a way, arrogant. I don't know why people would try to fix something that isn't broken in the first place. I understand they are trying to make the roads a safer place but changing the starting driving age, in my opinion, really isn't going to make that drastic of a change when people who are older are having the same reported issues.
ReplyDeleteI also completely agree. They are called accidents and everyone can be involved regardless of age. True that inexperience doesnt help but that is why illinois requires so many driving hours prior to licensing. I believe that if Illinois thinks that it is due to maturity or an experience issue, 18 year old drivers will not be able to handle themselves if they go off to college.
ReplyDeleteman i love metal! i was blasting pantera on the way to school this morning. and ive been playing guitar for abuout 5 years.
ReplyDeleteThoughtful response, Kelsey. I agree, too, that maturity and age do not coincide.
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