The driving age should be raised to 18

A.J. Willingham, 17, believes she is a good driver -- but knows we'd all be better off without her age group on the road

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Every teen-ager remembers the moment. I remember it perfectly: Getting into my little red Acura last year and heading to Taco Bell on that first solo flight, the feelings of anxiety, the strange combination of excitement and fear, my stomach churning like an overheated radiator. It was only a 15-minute trip to pick up a burrito, but I was hooked for life. I'd made it, completed a round trip in my own car, by myself, unscathed. Now, the world -- or at least the open road -- was mine.

I can probably speak for many teen-agers when I say I love to drive. I'm a little more unusual, particularly as a young woman, in that I'm also fascinated with how cars work. I have a part-time job as a mechanic, so I'm familiar with the power of the machinery. This combination of passion and knowledge is what has brought me to realize that 16 is probably too young to take on the responsibilities of driving.

Although I'm now 17 and passed my driving test almost 1 1/2 years ago, I've begun arguing for Maryland, where I live, and other states to raise the driving age to 18.

The rest of the article: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05030/449619.stm


I am entirely in agreement with this article. Although I'm generally a libertarian and against more regulation, I think the minimum driving age should be 18.

The fact is, 16 yr olds are just too mentally immature to be allowed to control thousands of pounds of speeding metal and put people at risk.

I remember when I was 16 I always wanted to go fast. I would always accelerate as fast as the car was able to, not because I was in a hurry or anything, but just for the hell of it. Fortunately my mom or dad was usually in the car with me and would yell at me if I accelerated too hard. But the few times I had the chance to drive alone, I would accelerate like crazy and drive as fast as traffic would allow. By the time I was about 18, I no longer had the urge to do that.

Now, at 22, I accelerate slower than most of the other cars on the road, although this is mainly because I want to conserve gas.

My point is 16 year olds are stupid (no exceptions) and shouldn't be allowed to drive. The minimum age should be 18, and not only that but the driving tests should be made harder. There should be simulated panic situations.

Who agrees with me?!

I'm 20 and still drive like a moron...age don't mean shit it's all about maturity.

This thread has nothing to do with street racing. You're not a politician. Your opinion doesn't matter as to whether not certain laws should be changed. Please, take your opinion somewhere else.

Or maybe they should just prevent Amish people from getting licenses.

Or maybe they should just prevent Amish people from getting licenses.


I bet my wagon could take your Z from a dig!

I think the amount of time you have to spend driving wiht your parents should double. 18's a good age though, I didn't get my liscense till I was allmost 17.

This thread has nothing to do with street racing. You're not a politician. Your opinion doesn't matter as to whether not certain laws should be changed. Please, take your opinion somewhere else.
:1:

Or maybe they should just prevent Amish people from getting licenses.


:rofl: Honestly, if you gave a kid his liscense at 18 he still would act like a moron. Really, it wouldn't matter at what age you are issued your liscense. You are still an amatuer then and it will take time to learn to drive properly and courteously. I'd say 16 is a very modest age. Granted there is immaturity there, but hey, not everyone matures at the same rate as someone else. Late...

you think 18 y/o's are much more mature than 16 y/o's as a whole? In some cases they are even more stupid "i am an adult now i can do anything i want" mix that atitude with the freash "hell ya i get to drive" aditude and you get just as much or more death and destruction, on top of alot of pissed off soon to be 16 teens. Or how about we consider everyone a minor and not allow them to drive untill 21. oh ya that will go down good. "I am an adult, i can do what i want, along with drinking, oh and drive a vehicle for the first time. no problem here"
Ever heard the term if it aint broke dont fix it?
If anything postponing one's ability to drive legaly will either cause more illegal drivers on the road or greater anxiety and "need for speed" as some may put it, when they do get their licens. if anything i beleive that there should be a retricted licens for 14 y/o's for mid afternoon daytime driving only in good conditions. Experence should be built up over time, not in 1 year in drivers ED.
Parents should allow children to take controll of a vehicle in controlled conditions (open feilds, empty parking lots) as young as 12 or 13. That is what happened to me and now not only am i a more confident driver, i consider myself highly skilled for my age (i can driver circles around my peers for the most part) and i only have the need for speed every once and a while and i can supress it for the proper time and place. because IMHO there is a time and place for everything.

I think the driving tests should be harder.

It's too easy. My test consisted of driving around the block, then backing down a street along the curb. Then going back to the DMV and getting my license.

C'mon. WTF is that.

I mean, I was all nervous for nothing. Just look at all the stupid fucks that are out there driving. It doesn't matter with age. It should be directly related to what your skill level is.

If you can't simply navigate a car with out having a nervous break down. You're stuck to public transportation untill you can learn to deal with it. If the DMV was a bit more selective, we'd have less accidents and there'd be less traffic... and less polution.

Then again, Natural selection has a funny way of dealing with idiots. So, drive faster kids!

Natural Selection; It's only natural.

My girlfriends driving test consisted of driving a half circle around in the mall parking lot. And then she got her license. Yay. But, she's a pretty damn good driver. That's saying alot..I hardly ever give female drivers much credit.

here in nyc, the minimum age for driving is 18. you can get a DJ license when your 16 but you have a 7 o'clock curfew.

anyways the road test here in nyc consist of driving around a few blocks on a two lane street, making turns, stopping at stop signs, staying on the right, and have to be able to parallel park.

thats basically it, its not hard at all, they prefer to have you be able to parallel park in 3 moves, if you do anymore, they take points off, if you hit the curb with your tires, they take points off. thats the part that gets most people. other then that its straight forward.

LOL ok age isn't always directly proportional to driving capability... I just thought, on average, someone who is 18 would be better able to suppress the urge to go fast than someone who is 16. And really, why do 16 yr olds NEED to drive? They don't. 18 year olds are adults and some of them even have to support themselves so some of them need cars to get to work. So it wouldn't be possible to raise the legal age above 18. But 18 should be reasonable.

Here in MD you have to do parallel parking, make a 3 point turn, stop at stop signs..make turns without going over a certain line..you gotta back up perfectly straight for so many feet. If you fail to look before making a turn/signal/any of that stuff..you fail the test. Theres alot more stuff but I can't remember.

16 yr olds should have to drive to save their parents from driving them. Thus that's why high school has the parking lots. Can you imagine the traffic at a high school with all of those parents and kids packed into those minivans? It wouldn't be fun. Unless you plan on changing limit of highschoolers. No school until your 18. So from 16-17, you just get to relax and not have to worry about school :rolleyes: . Late...

this would also raise the legal working age to 18. not a good idea.

Every teenager should be able to get his/her license at age 16. In personal standings it would decimate a teen's social life as well as lower chances to get a decent job at 16. I work at the local paneras and I wouldn't have been able to get that job and work the hours I do for the money I EARN without a car.

Maturity varies, I'm 16 and can be mature around mature people as well as bring out a wilder side with a wilder crowd but whenever I drive, I drive in a way that would never put myself or others at risk. I've been passed on 50mph roads by people who looked to be 18-30 and were going speeds of 80+mph judging by how fast they were flying by so does that mean the driving age should be raised to 40?
NO

I really don't see why this girl wants to change the age to 18 but she seems to be basing her arguement on her own maturity and I have heard more horror stories from girls in my town than old people and 16 year old guy drivers combined.

I don't know what to say to those of you in favor of Willingham's arguement but it seems very pointless to raise the age to 18 in my eyes.

oh by the way I usually make sure my car shifts in low RPMs to save gas but I have sped just as I'm sure all of us here have in the past and enjoyed the experience without putting anyone else at risk.

16 yr olds should have to drive to save their parents from driving them. Thus that's why high school has the parking lots. Can you imagine the traffic at a high school with all of those parents and kids packed into those minivans? It wouldn't be fun. Unless you plan on changing limit of highschoolers. No school until your 18. So from 16-17, you just get to relax and not have to worry about school :rolleyes: . Late...


There's already traffic jams at schools. What do you think the kids who are in thier freshmen/sophmore/junior/senior years do who don't have liceneses or don't have cars?

Not all take the bus, not all walk to school. So, parents drop them off.

Stupid Argument, Period.

'm 20 and still drive like a moron...age don't mean shit it's all about maturity.

werd.

First time I went over the speed limit I was 17...I was scared shitless of getting in trouble when I was 16, and I think if someone is gonna speed and drive bad, they're gonna do it regardless. So no, the driving age is fine.

Whenever you are alowed to start, youll drive nuts...Its new and fun then...What a stupid person...

im 19 and i drive like a bat out of hell, age dont mean crap. i think they should make the driving tests harder, especially for the damn old asian people, cant even see over the steering wheel, stopping in middle of intersections, not looking when changing lanes almost hitting me, GRRR!!! ROAD RAGE OMFG !!!11one!

im 19 and i drive like a bat out of hell, age dont mean crap. i think they should make the driving tests harder, especially for the damn old asian people, cant even see over the steering wheel, stopping in middle of intersections, not looking when changing lanes almost hitting me, GRRR!!! ROAD RAGE OMFG !!!11one!


you know i would be really really mad at you if that wasn't true. damn you sterotypes!!!!!

well im 16 and got my liscene 6 monthes ago. i drive what it safe for the roads. like if its a long straight road and the limit is 35, screw that im going like 50. when i drive i dont accelerate off every line, puts too much wear on the engine and transmisson. and in my 14 year old car it doesnt need anymore wear and tear. i admit that sometimes my mind does wander and i dont pay enough attention to the road but hey, so does everyone else.

haha funny


basically i'm not going to comment because this has nothing to do with street racing and it's going to be a soap box arguement if i open my mouth, so i'll just nod and go she's an idiot.

This is a hard topic to argue, seeing as I was 16 when I first got my license, and I couldn't imagine being deprived of the privelage. I can't say that at the time I was the most responsible 16 year old driver in the world, I've had my fair share of joyriding. But, its inevitable that anyone getting their license, no matter what age, will have a tendency to drive less "responsibly" than those who've had their license for a while. I'm not saying that those new 16 year old drivers are nothing but trouble or anything, because its ignorant to say all 16 year old drivers are the same. I'm also not defending them either, because there are some serious dumbfucks out there also. It really just depends on the way the person is; no matter age they are. I suppose they could leave the licensing age at 16, but I would also like to see more provisions. The test should definitely be harder, both written and in car. Anyone with common sense should be able the driver's test as it is. People who are on the road need more than just "common sense" to make their way around safely. I would normally be against "profiling" people, but I think it would be a good idea to look at kid's juvenile records before letting them get something as important as a driver's license. I know that looking at their records won't weed out ALL of the idiots. But every little bit helps.

Parents should allow children to take controll of a vehicle in controlled conditions (open feilds, empty parking lots) as young as 12 or 13. That is what happened to me and now not only am i a more confident driver, i consider myself highly skilled for my age (i can driver circles around my peers for the most part) and i only have the need for speed every once and a while and i can supress it for the proper time and place. because IMHO there is a time and place for everything.

Thank you, thank you, thank you CBFryman! I 100% agree with you on that statement alone. Now this might be a little extreme and the post a little long winded, but this is what I did to my now 20 year old son one day.

For 5 years, I used to Drag Race a high 11 second 1979 Mustang that my brother and I built. One summer at the track when we would just get parked in the pits, My son (then at 13) would always start in with the:

Son: Hey dad, can I back the car off the trailer?
Dad: No son, I'll take care of it.
Son: Awww man, backing it off the trailer would be so cool.
Dad: I know son but your too young.

Anyway you got the idea, mostly it was because he had a friend around and wanted to look cool and I could relate to that. Well about mid summer I told the wife I was going to teach the boy a little lesson, she asked what I had planned and my only reply was "you might not approve, but you'll see". The normal ritual when we first got there was to unload the car, set up our little canvas shelter to keep out of the sun and go sign up for the day, then go and warm up the car. Since the pits are small at our little hometown track, we were permitted to warm up our cars on the track, I would make 4 passes in total with the first one practically idling all the way down and running the tranny through all 3 gears with the engine not seeing above 2K, next pass is the same thing but not going above 3K and by then the engine was warm, next pass if the oil was warm enough (pressure drops at idle) I would baby it until 3rd gear then blast it to the end of the track, then the next pass would be just like racing, do a burnout, stage, and launch on the Trans Brake and do a full pass to clean it out then head back to the pits and cool down.

Well that day I told the son to get his helmet and get in, he put on his helmet and headed for the passenger side when I stopped him and said "Uhh, whaere are you going, your driving!" He was flabergasted to say the least, he got in the drivers side and I strapped him into the harness and adjusted the seat so he could steer and reach the pedals and got in the passenger side, I told him "Put the tranny in neutral and foot on the brake, release the e-brake and slowly back it off the trailer" he did so without too much drama and now we are sitting on level ground, I said "ok press the starter button and crank it until the oil guage reads pressure", he did so and then I told hiim "Give it 4 pumps of the gas, flip the switch and fire it up" He looked at me and said, "What are we doing?" I said, "Warming up the car silly!" He started up the car and it promptly stalled, He restarted it again and it stalled again, I told him he has to give it a little gas to keep it running until the motor gets some heat in it, keep the tach at no more than 2 grand when it fires, He restarted it and he gave it a little gas and kept raising and lowering the idle while the engine was starting to heat up, after about a minute I said "Well lets go", he said "Where?" I said "To the track to warm up the car!", he put it in reverse and the engine died again, and I explained to him he has to give it some gas or we'll be here all day trying to warm up the car, he restarted it again and backed out and headed for the track. I explained the warmup ritual described above and down the track we went for the 3 warmup passes. After the 3rd pass I said ok, put er in the box and light em up" I explained the ritual on the burnout and he did what he was told and did a little burnout, I told him "Now, keep both your hands on the wheel, I will shift the car, now slowly creep up to the line and stop when the top light is lit." This process took probably 2 minutes as he inched up to the Pre-Stage line, once there I told him "Now very slowly inch up to the starting line, when the Stage Light goes on, press the button on the wheel with your right thumb, let off the brake and mash the gas! When the tree goes green let go of the button and hang on!" I could tell at that point he was getting a little terrified but he did what he was told, he staged the car, pressed the button on the wheel and floored the gas. About 3 seconds later, the guy in the tower dropped the tree and when the green light lit he let go of the button and the car launched, once the car jumped off the line he promptly bailed, I told him "GO!" and he nailed it again and off we went, when I shifted into 2nd he bailed again and I yelled "Come on, GO!" and he gased it again, we hit 3rd and he stayed into it but slowly started letting up and I yelled "GO!" again, he did but I think the speed was starting to get to him and he bailed at about the 1000 foot mark and coasted the rest of the way to the return road. We came back down the return road and I could tell he was trembling and he didn't say a single word whe whole way back on the return road and back into the pits. He parked the car and shut it down and we both got out and finally I said, "Well?" he said, "Dad, you just scared the heck out of me!" I replied "Good, you got scared of the car because you respect it and it's power and you know it can kill you in the blink of an eye, as long as what ever you drive scares you then you will always respect the car for it's capabilities, because the instant you are not scared of it any more that is when it may hurt or kill you because at that point your most likely doing something stupid. ALWAYS remember that son. Now get this thing cooled down!"

To this day, he has never gotten a ticket, never gotten in an accident, yes he screws around a little on the street with his 89 Daytona Shelby but also seems to know when things are not quite right for messing around while driving and refrains from it. And most importantly, he still remembers that day in the Drag Car when he almost crapped his pants because his first time behind the wheel of any vehicle was in something that was totally way beyond his capabilities as a driver. A little extreme, yeah I suppose so, but he is a good driver and I think he learned immediate respect for a vehicle because of it.

wow very very impressive way of teaching your child. kinda reminds me of my professor's story.

back then he had a 8 second cuda. his use to drive a mazda 626 which was a slow 17 second car, one day he draged him to the track, and he forced him to drive his cuda. his first time at the track he did a perfect burn out and had a near perfect reaction time. ( of course he put the throttle stop on, so the car was a 11 second car also ) and now he ends up in his crew and driver on competition days in pro stock.

yeah i know its a different story, but i kept on reading your story and expecting you to say wow, the kid is pretty good, i can make it drive for me. lolz.

Well I've been driving since I was around eight years old on farms pulling hay wagons and backing them pretty much where ever they needed to go, so having time behind the wheel is not something I lacked when I got my license. I maintained the speed limit for the most part but at times I did push the needle farther then it should have been and had a few races but nothing that the average person hasn't done.
However before I got my license a friend got his and drove me back and forth from school at the normal sixteen year old pace; slow and cautious. Right after I got my license he started riding with me and had his first 100+ mph encounter. Two years pass and he's driving like a bat out of hell and I still drove at my normal pace obeying the speed limit unless I had a wild hair, which didn't seem to happen to often just every now and then. At eighteen he's driving faster and more aggressive then he was at sixteen because he felt more confident behind the wheel, not because he had matured more but from the simple fact I'm a bad influence on people. Three more years pass and he's slowed down a bit because for once he has a new car and he doesn't want to cause any problems to it, I've slowed marginally but I haven't ever been known to just up and stop something.

Another friend I have has had twelve years of driving prior to meeting me and the first time I rode with him I swore he was in his late sixties because he drove like a little old man, hunched over the steering wheel, riding the brakes, on and off of the gas peddle, stopping 10 feet away from the line where you stop at a red-light or stop sign. It took me about a year and a half just to get him to go the speed limit on a two lane highway and about another year to get him to drive his car like it was built to be driven. I am proud of the fact that I got him to go more balls out since a year ago he finally raced his vette on the track and I got him to give me a little run on the road in my old cat, but he still doesn't maintain the "norm" when it comes to driving.

So I think it's all in the people you're around as to how you drive, I've corrupted more then these two but I try not to make a habit of doing these type of things.

you know i would be really really mad at you if that wasn't true. damn you sterotypes!!!!!

hahaha stereotypes > all of us :evillol:

that was a really good story, it's what i need to do with my little brother before he get's on the road... he's still got 2 years till 16... but i didn't get my license till 18 for choice.. i chose not to get it because i knew i was too stupid and i would get in an accident. My little brother realizes the potential of cars (biiiiig vette fan he is) and also get's scared when i go 10 over the limit... i know he'll be a good driver, but a little tough love in your case worked out very well. I think though he'll start out like i did, in a big box car that tops out at 100 before redlining (88 crown vic)

They should raise the driving age to 18...and lower the drinking age to 12...
Seriously though, everyone needs to have an experience like I did...I was 14 year old and my dad let me drive his new '97 mustang GT for the first time...a pretty fast car for someone like me to handle...well I was just tooling around a block when we got to a dead end...he told me to do a 3 point turn...Well the first part went fine, but I put it in reverse, gave it too much gas, and backed it right through a chain link fence...I was sooo embarrassed and I apologized profusely to my father...but ever since then, I knew that cars had a lot of power and are not toys, and can make you or break you in a fraction of a second.

I can see both sides of the argument here because I've argued both sides of it. It seems that every year I hear about several kids from my old high school dying in car accidents, yet I have yet to hear of someone from my University dying in a car accident.

For several years my grandmother has thought it a brilliant idea to make sure that I have a subscription to TIME magazine. Sometimes I read it and sometimes I don't, but a few months ago they printed a large study done on brain development and rational thinking. Apparently the portion of the brain that controls rational thinking and decision making is not fully developed until around age 20 (for anyone who wants to look up this article it is available in the archives on the magazine's website). Now, at 17 I would have vehemently argued that my rationalization skills were just fine--but in retrospect they were far from it. It wouldn't surprise me one iota to find out that this fact alone would contribute to larger numbers of accidents among teens.

It's easy to say that anyone who has just learned to drive, no matter what their age, has a higher ratio of car accidents and logically this makes plenty of sense, however, tack onto that the fact that teens do not always make the best decisions on the road and suddenly car accidents become the leading cause of death for teens. Most all of us can attest to this because just about everybody knows of someone or has been friends with someone who was either killed driving as a teenager, or killed while riding as a passenger in the car of a teenager.

Also, some states have already kicked the driving age up to 18. My cousin informed me that Georgia had done it, but this was years ago. I have a friend from England and sixteen year olds in there are free to get their license, but they are forced to place a large, neon yellow reflective "L" for "Learner" on the corner of their windshield so that everyone on the road will be aware that they are new to driving and react accordingly. Personally, I think this is a great idea, not only would it prevent the massive debate over the driving age, but it would also warn the rest of us that there is a new driver on the road.

I know that there are a lot of teens out there who are very responsible drivers and who deserve the privilige of having a license, but for every responsible teen driver there are five who are not.

I find it SO ironic that this topic was posted on a street racing board. People who frequent a steet racing board are steet racers and steet racing as a hobby is dangerous no matter how you try to reason it away. That's why its illegal outside of a track. I'm not trying to upset anyone here, but everyone believes that they are a more capable driver than their peers, whether they are or not.

A long time ago I heard a statistic on the radio that I never forgot and that was that 93% of teen drivers wreck their first car. That's not to say that they completely total it out, but it gets wrecked. Now I'm sure I'll get a lot of "I didn't wreck my first car" in response to that, so good for you, but a lot of people did.

Whoever had the idea for allowing provisional driving privileges to 14 year olds at certain times of day (with a legal guardian!) had a fantastic idea since experience is the key to good driving. We can blame this on our state governments just as much or more as on the teen drivers themselves.

As far as raising the driving age to 18 goes, when Georgia did it kids who could prove that a job or other responsibilites made being able to drive early a necessity were given the opportunity to get their licenses at 16. All teens under 18 had a curfew and could not have over 3 people under 18 in the car. It worked. Driving deaths for new drivers went down. If any age group with new driving privileges were just as dangerous as any other this would not have been the case.

Of course, we can't overlook the fact that the elderly, in my opinion, are FAR MORE DANGEROUS on the road than teenagers, but that is a topic for another day. :) But so help me God, the next old lady that slams into the side of my car while coming out of a parking lot and NOT LOOKING and then tells the cops that I hit HER is going to cause me to spend some time in prison.

Perhaps we could avoid the debate in its entirety if everyone were required, instead of renewing their license every four or five years, to take a new driving test instead, and those that fail get their license suspended rather than drive to a neighboring city and take the test again the next day. It may not protesct us from teens, but it would protect us from the elderly, the crackheads, and the soccer moms out there who cause us to almost bury our car in ditches due to their ignorance.

Phew. Okay, I'm done.

i started driving when i was 15 or so with my mom in the car so i behaved rather well when i turned 17 i got my drivers licence at 18 right before skool started i got my car (97 mitsu eclipse gs {memories}) ne ways when i got my 1st car i started to speed then again i was confident enough to drive through any sort traffic and situation but still i was very mature about it(never got a ticket for speeding or any serious offence) so my grad present was an srt-4. if i were to take a side with your argument. you're wrong because it all depends on your own maturity and disipline behind the wheel and to this day i have yet to get a ticket for acting stupid. and alot of the guys here know i act real stupid at times

then again my mom street races too!

Well, the fact of the matter is that bad drivers come from every age group. Some people just suck at driving regardless of maturity. Some people just can't handle the stress of driving or they are completely oblivious to the world around them.

I agree, to an extent, that the driving age should be raised to 18 years old. However, I would say that if you're 16 or 17 and can prove that you need a car to get to a job then you should be allowed to drive. I also like the idea of a big yellow L in the window of the car to let people know that they are new to driving.

The other problem that I see with new drivers is the parents. I see parents that buy their kids cars that they have no business driving at that age. They buy them cars that have more power than they should have control of.

Also, AcidReiyne, just because we talk in a the Street Racing forum does not mean that we have a lack of judgment or do the kind of things you see in the Fast and the Furious.

[QUOTE=Polygon]
Also, AcidReiyne, just because we talk in a the Street Racing forum does not mean that we have a lack of judgment or do the kind of things you see in the Fast and the Furious.[/QUOTE

I apologize if that is how my comment seemed. What I meant to say (but had very little time given that I was supposed to have already left for school) was that it was ironic because the majority of people that street race frequently and the majority of the people on this board--are young. It seems odd to me to ask for opinions against the privileges of the young from the young.

Also, in addition to my earlier post, I'm not saying that 16 year olds should be denied licenses, but that I believe extra precautions should be taken by parents and by the government to help keep them safe while they learn the rules of the road firsthand.

Mad props to Polygon for bringing up the fact that parents everywhere are buying their kids things that make you want to shake them and say "What the HECK were you thinking??". I mean, a lot of these are little deathtraps that crumble apart at the slightest accident. Then the kid dies when a couple thousand more (or less) on the car could have saved that kid's life. It's really sad when you think about it.

Well that and insurance companies hsouldnt be insureing a 16 y/o driving some of the cars at my school.
Infinity G35
'97 z28
'97 Firebird
Chevelle SS
'03 vett
'03 Evo VIII
'03Mustang GT
'02Mustang Cobra
'93 FD (turbo, not NA)

thats just among a few of the cars in my opinion these kids i know should not have gotten as a 16th birthday present.
so far none have died and only 3 have totaled their cars. the Vett, the firebird, and the Mustang GT (actually this one crashed soon after being waxed by an '03 Maxima). My truck has an amazing 23.1 lbs/hp which isnt much less than a stock honda civic DX. It has more than enough pick up on it to play and will be modified as my finacial situation improves (im sitting at nealy $500 in my account after purchasing this vehicle and i am soon to pay tax/tag/tittle which will pretty much wipe me out. insurance and gas are the next 2 things i must worry about). Driving is a responsibility, not a privilage. Another thing parents should do besides letting kids get experence in is knowing wether or not their kids are mature enough to drive. and if they are mature enough to drive what they are allowing them to drive. and the fact that thoes kids Infinity G35, z28's, etc...isnt what bothers me, i want one and 75% of the time these kids are idiots...

im 16 and i havent gone over the speed limit with my mustang 5.0 . im a good drive with that 1 cuase i know if i haul ass and lose control ill cry cuase its my 1st mustang and my dad's 1st 2. so i drive slow. but my uncle let me borrow his car and i drove it around and i only floored it 1 time cuase i was just wating 2 see how fast that tercel hit in a empty street i hit 67 and nothing faster then that. last time i drove 2 home depot with my dad i only got to 55 miles per hour. so i considerd im a good driver. im not gonna hook up my mustang till i get a job and turn at least 17 so i can get more better 2 control it. but my dad crashed the mustang around 4 months ago. so now i have 2 work more lol.

Basically, it comes down to experience and judgement. When you have enough of each then you are properly equipped to drive. the only problem is how to gauge this.

That said, it really doesnt matter how old you are because, as said before, you can still suck.

In my opinion, if a parent is in control of their child' s driving habits, they should give them time behind the wheel as early as possible.

Most states have extened periods for learner's permit now. I know that I got screwed over, because the year before I got my learner's they changed the law, and now you have to have your learner's for 6 months, and your partial liscense for a year without any violations before you can get your full liscense. I'll be 18 before I get my full liscense now, but I still drive when I want, and where I want, because those are stupid rules anway. If I can drive during the day, when most accidents happen anyway, I can drive at night too.

I have to agree that it's not necessarily the age, but the fact that kids aren't taught how to drive properly. I got my learners permit at 15 and my license at 16 and before I hit the roads, I already knew how to recover from a spin, how to drive defensively, how to stop without locking up the brakes (no abs), and many other skills that are very important to staying out of accidents. When it snowed I would go into a big empty parking lot and practice sliding and recovering. You have to get used to the conditions you're gonna drive in, that way you don't freak out when something happens. There's nothing I hate worse than a nervous driver, you have to be confident in your skills. My son is almost 10, and in a few years, I'll start teaching him how to drive, and how to drive properly, that way when he gets his license, he'll be able to handle the responsibility.

This thread has nothing to do with street racing. You're not a politician. Your opinion doesn't matter as to whether not certain laws should be changed. Please, take your opinion somewhere else.

Ok, dude, he may not be a Politician, but that has no bearing whatsoever on whether his opinion matters. Have you ever taken a social sciences class? Do you know what lobbyist, grassroots organization or demonstrator is? Of course his opinion matters, that's the whole basis for a democracy.

That said, I've often pondered this topic. I came to the realization that yes, while 16 year olds are rather immature, it may be a necessary evil. You'll never convince the government to change it; hell, corporations would lose money and in today's corporate oriented government that would be horrible (heh). Plus, if kids can rack up driving time when it isn't necessary to commute (not many high school students need their own transportation), they will be better drivers when it becomes necessary to commute. The situation in Europe and Japan is different, mainly because personal automobiles arn't nearly as important as they are here--it is difficult to get around anywhere in the U.S. without a car, barring large cities.

Perhaps you should suggest, instead, that we create a large public-transport system available to more citizens. That would help to solve the problem at its roots. You may think that 16 year olds shouldn't be able to drive, but you certainly didn't even hesitate to consider the huge ramifications such a measure would entail in the United States.

AFAIK insurance companies wont cover a vette for anyone under 25. im almost positive that the kids at your school with those cars are being insured by their parents. damn spoiled kids.

AFAIK insurance companies wont cover a vette for anyone under 25. im almost positive that the kids at your school with those cars are being insured by their parents. damn spoiled kids.

Exactly, the car is insured under the parents name.

I am entirely in agreement with this article. Although I'm generally a libertarian and against more regulation, I think the minimum driving age should be 18.

The fact is, 16 yr olds are just too mentally immature to be allowed to control thousands of pounds of speeding metal and put people at risk.

I remember when I was 16 I always wanted to go fast. I would always accelerate as fast as the car was able to, not because I was in a hurry or anything, but just for the hell of it. Fortunately my mom or dad was usually in the car with me and would yell at me if I accelerated too hard. But the few times I had the chance to drive alone, I would accelerate like crazy and drive as fast as traffic would allow. By the time I was about 18, I no longer had the urge to do that.

Now, at 22, I accelerate slower than most of the other cars on the road, although this is mainly because I want to conserve gas.

My point is 16 year olds are stupid (no exceptions) and shouldn't be allowed to drive. The minimum age should be 18, and not only that but the driving tests should be made harder. There should be simulated panic situations.

Who agrees with me?!
:nono: the age should be raised to the time one becomes an adult ,18yr, and are looked upon as an adult by the laws of their country,it seems my country is run by d9!k heads too

This thread is stupid, let it it die.

I'm 20 and still drive like a moron...age don't mean shit it's all about maturity.
:nono: And what if you kill some kiddie, will you still continue to drive like a moron, it's assholes like you that push up the premiums on insurance, as you put it....age don't mean a shit it's all about maturity and your a moron, grow up little boy befor you kill someone and yourself.

Shut up noob. :rolleyes: Don't turn this into a flame war or I'll guarantee you wont see 10 posts.

:nono: And what if you kill some kiddie, will you still continue to drive like a moron, it's assholes like you that push up the premiums on insurance, as you put it....age don't mean a shit it's all about maturity and your a moron, grow up little boy befor you kill someone and yourself.

:rolleyes:

Driving like a moron and driving recklessly are 2 completely different things. I don't beleive there are too many people who are retarded enough to speed when children are present, driving like a moron simply means to me speeding(mostly on highways), little bit o' rubber left on the pavement here and there cornering faster than the signs say to :D and having fun. Recklessly would be doing 90km's through a school zone at 3pm and talking on my cell phone while trying to see what other cd's I have in my car. I'm not reckless I'm just a moron as are a lot of others. Oh and btw welcome to AF and STFU.

Shut up noob. :rolleyes: Don't turn this into a flame war or I'll guarantee you wont see 10 posts. OK pal, no flame war, just stating how i feel toward peaple with no regards to safty on public roads and highways. i love fast cars too and driving fast, but only on the track.

Why don't we just hold the parents to make the decision?
Plenty of teens in neighboring schools around me have been forbidden to get their licenses yet because their parents recognize that their 15-16 year old kids just can't handle driving yet.

Also if a 16 year old gets his/her license and (god forbid) does crash into somone else or total their own car then I think the parents should be fined an extra fee set by the state thus creating more will for a parent to make sure their teenager is as experienced a driver as can be and also establishing a deal between teen and parent. The deal being that if the teen drives responsibly then the parent doesn't have to pay for the teenager's screw ups. (at least not anymore than a parent would already have to)

This may not seem logical to most but I think it would inspire more parents to get up and teach their teenagers some necessary driving skills while in the pre-license permit stage. I think it would also inspire wreckless teenagers to calm down a bit in fear of the punishment they may encounter if they do screw up and their parents are fined.

:nono: And what if you kill some kiddie, will you still continue to drive like a moron, it's assholes like you that push up the premiums on insurance, as you put it....age don't mean a shit it's all about maturity and your a moron, grow up little boy befor you kill someone and yourself.

Good golly, your almost 50 years old there Chester! It would seem you need to grow up yourself there. Coming in here telling everybody what to do, because why? Your Age? Life experience?

Amish admitted he's a moron, as will I. I've been in a few accidents myself. So what? Accidents are accidents. Nobody intends to wreck on purpose unless they are deciding to commit suicide, or are just homicidal. Tone your attitude down, and show some respect to other members. Harrassing members certainly isn't the way to make a reputation for yourself, nor will you win anyone's respect or friendship. So either, learn to play nicely with everyone here, or stay out of the forums.

Also, welcome to AF, always glad to have a new member :) ! L8...

OK pal, no flame war, just stating how i feel toward peaple with no regards to safty on public roads and highways. i love fast cars too and driving fast, but only on the track.

I believe there is a section for track racing.
It seems that this isn't that section.

SCCA racing forum:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1511
AutoX/SoloII forum:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1517
Drag racing forum: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=650
Le Mans and Sports car road racing forum:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=547

So why exactly did you decide to come into the STREET RACING forum and try to start trouble?

Why don't we just hold the parents to make the decision?
Plenty of teens in neighboring schools around me have been forbidden to get their licenses yet because their parents recognize that their 15-16 year old kids just can't handle driving yet.

Also if a 16 year old gets his/her license and (god forbid) does crash into somone else or total their own car then I think the parents should be fined an extra fee set by the state thus creating more will for a parent to make sure their teenager is as experienced a driver as can be and also establishing a deal between teen and parent. The deal being that if the teen drives responsibly then the parent doesn't have to pay for the teenager's screw ups. (at least not anymore than a parent would already have to)

This may not seem logical to most but I think it would inspire more parents to get up and teach their teenagers some necessary driving skills while in the pre-license permit stage. I think it would also inspire wreckless teenagers to calm down a bit in fear of the punishment they may encounter if they do screw up and their parents are fined.
:biggrin: nice one , im a parent, cheers they cost enough already. why not put them on a race track with a skid patch to help them get used to handling a car befor taking cars onto a road while learning to drive and use this as part of their test. they would be more confident first time out by themselves and safer.

:biggrin: nice one , im a parent, cheers they cost enough already. why not put them on a race track with a skid patch to help them get used to handling a car befor taking cars onto a road while learning to drive and use this as part of their test. they would be more confident first time out by themselves and safer.

The emphasis of my point was to instate a method to get parents to have their 15 year old permit holder drive more often or as much as possible with them in the car. An alternate option would be to have any reported accident that is proven to be the fault of a 16 year old at the wheel would have a 1-2 month period of suspension on that 16 year old's license.

I'm going to ignore your sarcasm as you seem to have completely missed the point I was trying to make. If you are a parent, you're either very old and not very worldly anymore or of moderate age and naturally insecure about any safety issues that may pose a threat to you or your family in which case I would tell you
"Remember to keep your electical sockets plugged up, your knives in plastic sleeves, your gun locked up, your pool fenced, your microwave above 5 feet high, your stove height above 4 feet, perscription medication out of reach of a child, electrical wires out of reach, your car reinforced with titanium and your produce chemical free."

This world is full of all kinds of devices or items that can be fatal if used the wrong way, cars unfortunately seem to be the most commonly misused devices for any age.

Have a nice day.

Good golly, your almost 50 years old there Chester! It would seem you need to grow up yourself there. Coming in here telling everybody what to do, because why? Your Age? Life experience?

Amish admitted he's a moron, as will I. I've been in a few accidents myself. So what? Accidents are accidents. Nobody intends to wreck on purpose unless they are deciding to commit suicide, or are just homicidal. Tone your attitude down, and show some respect to other members. Harrassing members certainly isn't the way to make a reputation for yourself, nor will you win anyone's respect or friendship. So either, learn to play nicely with everyone here, or stay out of the forums.

Also, welcome to AF, always glad to have a new member :) ! L8...if one cant voice their opinion to a subject whats the point of a forum, i have nothing personal against anyone on here, but the im sorry im backing off befor i get realy upset, some prat in a tuned up car nearly run my daughter and grandson down. you won't hear from me again, just slow down everyone PLEASE.

:nono: And what if you kill some kiddie, will you still continue to drive like a moron, it's assholes like you that push up the premiums on insurance, as you put it....age don't mean a shit it's all about maturity and your a moron, grow up little boy befor you kill someone and yourself.

Opinions are one thing here, but calling him an asshole, and telling him to grow up. Hmmmm, yes that is definitely an opinion there.

Like I said, tone down your attitude. I'm sorry to hear that someone nearly ran down your little ones. Your not the only one it has happened to. Nonetheless, every country, state, city, neighborhood has their own idiot that drives irresponsibly. Remember that.

You are welcome here, but show respect towards others and you will see that they will do the same in return. L8...