In America, driving is the main source of transportation. Being an American teenage driver myself, I clearly remember dreaming about that golden day I"d be allowed to get my driver's license. American teenagers place driving, being the first major milestone in the transition into adulthood, on a pedestal. The idea of being able to come and go as you please without calling mom for a ride is every teen's ideal world. Dates, parties, and many other weekend activities become options thanks to a driver's license. However, stepping behind the wheel furnishes a lot of responsibility teenagers are just not equipped to handle. Issues regarding driving ability and safety can sometimes be too much for the selfish teenage frame of mind, more concerned with having a good time and impressing their friends, to handle. The awful reputation of teen drivers is due not only to the confused period of adolescence, but also insufficient testing procedures and self imposed distractions while driving. Combining these factors makes American teens the most dangerous presence on the road.
Becoming the stereotypical bad teen driver is a simple process. The first step is passing the written test, which when you look back, was much easier than persuading your parents to let you take it. Pennsylvania's testing procedure is a prime example of America's insufficient practices. The written permit test, which when passed, grants the driving student a permit to practice with another licensed driver. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) provides a manual of laws and other guidelines to study from. The permit test consists of only eighteen questions and fifteen correct is passing. What are these people thinking, that one short, simple test is enough to assess a teen on rules and regulations of driving? Teens are experts when it comes to cramming for a test without the information actually sinking in; this happens daily in schools across the country.
