Traffic accidents are a major problem in the United States. The two main causes of teen automotive accidents are lack of experience and risky behavior. In fact one out of three teenagers will be in an automotive accident before age 18. There are many ideas and opinions on how to deal with this problem, cars are made: stronger, tougher, more durable, and better equipped for safety. Now that the vehicles are suited to the driver, the driver is all we can try to improve. I believe we should raise the age of getting your license to 18 but leave the permit age at 15 and ½ because at age 18 you are more mature and would have more driving experience with the permit and supervision. .
14% of motor vehicle accidents involve adolescent drivers age 16-18. I believe it would be for the safety and protection of all youth and to the adults and children also involved in the accidents caused by them. If we raised the license age from 16 to 18 and kept the same permit age that would mean an extra two years of driving with the permit and an adult. This extra time would mean more driving situations and instruction to get through them so when they are on their own they know what to do and decrease the reaction time enough to save lives.
Also if the age was raised to 18 the drivers would be at a higher maturity level. If a person thinks about this is societies point of view, age 18 equals being an adult. 18 is also an age where peer pressure has drastically less to do with your own decisions.
The people who think the age should be left the same or lowered are often the teenagers just below the actual age limit who want their license to go drink or party or other illegal things which is what causes all the accident anyways and makes insurance so expensive.
So in the end the facts show that it is to save lives the age should be raised, not to take away from freedom but to give life. If you support safety for the youth of the nation along with the other victims of motor vehicle accidents I ask you to go to your local library and get the address for the state legislature and send them a letter telling your side of the story.
