Here in Australia (or at least in my state, New South Wales), the minimum age to be able to apply for a driver's licence is 16, and the minimum age for driving without an instructor is 17 (yay, five months away for me). I've heard argument for this age to be brought down as well as argument for it to be raised, but what do you think?
I myself think the system here is fine. Around the age of 16 most people learn to become more independent, such as by finding part-time work and things like that. Any lower and I think the typical person may be a bit more careless and immature, possibly being more dangerous when in control of a vehicle on public roads. I don't think the age should be raised because many people may be in need of personal transport after they finish school, such as for the purpose of convenient transport when a person gets a job.
It seems pretty fine at 16, before that age there isn't really any need or means for a person to drive a car.
I left school at 16 to go straight into full time work, could really have done with a car from that age rather than 17. I'd go for a reduction to 16, only problem I see would be older students driving to school (I still had a 50cc bike at that point to make up the rest of the year)
The main deterent to young drivers is cost anyway, it's very expensive to support yourself without being on parents insurance.
Big tip is to get a ped or bike, get a years no claims then get your car. (Bike no claims is now transferable)
As much as I don't have much place to say being some years past the minimum to learn and not yet bothering (spending money on petrol then in turn McDonalds has always put me off) I probably don't have much place to say.
However the number of teenage casualties per year who are within their first months of driving when they crash and either fatally injure either themselves or their passengers is staggering, and heartbreaking. Most live to tell the tale then become even more cocksure. Obviously thats just a minority of the teen drivers and many are very safe and considerate drivers. With all things there is just a small bunch of rotten apples ruining it for everyone else.
In the UK it's 17 that you can start to learn. Whether this is so the rich politicians and dodgy lords can buy their daughters sickeningly nice cars for their 18th I don't know hah
I think this really depends on the country. For example, in Poland the youth is in the most part very, very immature and a worrying high percentage of Children in schools don't care about education, and have unqualified parents. Of course that also means that their behavior is unacceptable, they have literally no future apart from homelessness and maybe, if they are very lucky, they might work in low social class manual labour.
Then again, since they probably wouldn't even have the money to try the test, and basically wouldn't even be able to learn for it because of their incompetence for education of any kind, such people wouldn't attempt to it. Which would bring it to another hard point, since it wouldn't be too much of a problem for them to just drive without a license. They wouldn't ever had completed the test, and have no idea of road behavior, causing lots of accidents on the roads.
18 because that's when you need it
16-20. Also depending whether you even need a car or not.
Some cities have excellent public transportation, like Helsinki of Finland.
In my state 15 is the legal age.
And from this experience, I really think the age should be at least 17.
Seriously, there are so many car crashes in front of the highschool it's not even funny, I even got into one myself (good thing I wasn't liable)
25. Less boy racers, less accidents and less cars (+ pollution ect.)
We should encourage people not to start driving instead of stopping driving. Driving is obviously a useful thing, and a fun thing for many but it is unsustainable at this point in time.
16 is fine. Thats when most people should and do start working, and a car makes that one hundred times easier on someone.
I don't really see why there is a minimum, as long as you can prove you're responsible. I'd say 10-13 absolute minimum and they'd be required to do lots of tests to prove themselves.
Yeah, sixteen is good.
Elsewise I wouldn't be able to attend school as I do now. It would be a lot harder.
Both my dad and step-mom work full-time, and my brothers are too busy to take me.
So having my license at sixteen made life a lot easier.
Now I just have to get a job.
i just drove my dads car to a tree
so 17 maybe
[QUOTE=Shadaez;33058191]I don't really see why there is a minimum, as long as you can prove you're responsible. I'd say 10-13 absolute minimum and they'd be required to do lots of tests to prove themselves.[/QUOTE]
The minimum is there because it's been established that there's a certain age at which the brain is developed enough to process the sensory input at fast enough a pace. It's not a question of responsibility, it's a question of psycho-physical maturity.
Our fucking country is stupid, it's 16 to drive a motorcycle, but 18 to drive a safer, sturdier car. What the fuck?
I personally think it should be 16 for a car.
In Ontario you can only drive with a person who's been driving for at least 3 years when your 16. Then you gotta wait a year to take the test to be able to drive alone.
[QUOTE=Cheezy;33058329]The minimum is there because it's been established that there's a certain age at which the brain is developed enough to process the sensory input at fast enough a pace. It's not a question of responsibility, it's a question of psycho-physical maturity.[/QUOTE]
But that differs between people.
[QUOTE=Sickle;33058361]Our fucking country is stupid, it's 16 to drive a motorcycle, but 18 to drive a safer, sturdier car. What the fuck?
I personally think it should be 16 for a car.[/QUOTE]
If your driving recklessly on a motor bike and hit it a car you're screwed but the car isn't.
[QUOTE=Shadaez;33058191]I don't really see why there is a minimum, as long as you can prove you're responsible. I'd say 10-13 absolute minimum and they'd be required to do lots of tests to prove themselves.[/QUOTE]
Is that a joke? Is it a troll? How old are you?
Anybody who thinks it should be below 16 .. are themselves below the age of 16.
Anyone in their right minds would not go below 16.
As people have pointed, the development of the brain.
I play computer games, I think we all do ... and we see the screaming kids, a lot are most likely 10-13. They're a bunch of immature brats. They can't handle a computer game ... yet you want them behind the wheel of a car?
At least in video games when these kids mess up, you get to respawn. On the road, when these immature brats mess up, there's no respawning, you're dead. Lives are literally at risk by putting children behind the wheel of a car or on a motorcycle.
Yes I am aware you said putting them on a series of tests, but let's face it, all kids would take the test seriously for the goal of getting a license. Once that happens all hell breaks loose and they no longer give a shit.
When I stop a red light I don't wanna see some 10 year old kid pull up next to me. Oh by the way, I ride a motorcycle. Two weeks ago a man who looks in his 40's hit me, yesterday my motorcycle got picked up by the insurance company for repairs
Oh hell that's another thing, driver/riders have to pay for insurance and petrol. How exactly are these kids meant to pay for those? I doubt every parents wants to pay extra insurance and petrol. If you don't know yet, younger the driver/rider the more insurance you have to pay. I'm 21 and I gotta pay A LOT every year more than someone in their 40's ... and I'm 21! A 10 year old would have to pay a guaranteed amount of THOUSANDS every year to inurance, no matter what insurance deal they take. Also, every accident you get into, if it's your fault, your insurance payment will rise. I can only imagine the amount kids will have to paying after their 20th crash.
Now let's put a 10 year old in ... seriously, my life is in serious danger if 10year olds drive. On a motorcycle, 10 year olds drive like morons, it's almost a guaranteed death.
Kids can't act mature behind the computer screen, yet you want them behind the wheel of a car. Top notch thinking right there.
18, I wouldn't trust any 16 year old to drive me anywhere.
I don't have any problem with age. In fact I think age limits are stupid and individuals should be judged by their maturity and ability.
That being said, the way the current state driving tests stand any dumb fuck can get a driving licence. The amount of completely ignorant drivers in America is astounding!
[QUOTE='[ToRn];33059418']Is that a joke? Is it a troll? How old are you?
Anybody who thinks it should be below 16 .. are themselves below the age of 16.
Anyone in their right minds would not go below 16.
As people have pointed, the development of the brain.
I play computer games, I think we all do ... and we see the screaming kids, a lot are most likely 10-13. They're a bunch of immature brats. They can't handle a computer game ... yet you want them behind the wheel of a car?
At least in video games when these kids mess up, you get to respawn. On the road, when these immature brats mess up, there's no respawning, you're dead. Lives are literally at risk by putting children behind the wheel of a car or on a motorcycle.
Yes I am aware you said putting them on a series of tests, but let's face it, all kids would take the test seriously for the goal of getting a license. Once that happens all hell breaks loose and they no longer give a shit.
When I stop a red light I don't wanna see some 10 year old kid pull up next to me. Oh by the way, I ride a motorcycle. Two weeks ago a man who looks in his 40's hit me, yesterday my motorcycle got picked up by the insurance company for repairs
Oh hell that's another thing, driver/riders have to pay for insurance and petrol. How exactly are these kids meant to pay for those? I doubt every parents wants to pay extra insurance and petrol. If you don't know yet, younger the driver/rider the more insurance you have to pay. I'm 21 and I gotta pay A LOT every year more than someone in their 40's ... and I'm 21! A 10 year old would have to pat a guaranteed amount of THOUSANDS every year to inurance, no matter what insurance deal they take.
Now let's put a 10 year old in ... seriously, my life is in serious danger if 10year olds drive. On a motorcycle, 10 year olds drive like morons, it's almost a guaranteed death.
Kids can't act mature behind the computer screen, yet you want them behind the wheel of a car. Top notch thinking right there.[/QUOTE]
If they were this young and they passed the test, they're not going to be bad at driving. Also, not everyone young on the internet or in real life acts a certain way.
16-17 to start learning, 18 to actually drive i reckon. from experience, most of the more mature and skilled drivers are easily way into adulthood so putting a 10 year old behind the wheel is like playing russian roulette with your child.
also a 10 year old is likely to be paying around £5,000 a year for insurance alone, with room for that to increase with every scratch, dent and chip that their car accumulates. imagine an 11 year old without a no-claims bonus, the fees that the parents would pay could outweigh most salaries
[QUOTE=JimJam707;33059658][B]If they were this young and they passed the test, they're not going to be bad at driving[/B]. Also, not everyone young on the internet or in real life acts a certain way.[/QUOTE]
I highly doubt you even have a license let alone your own vehicle. By that logic, everyone on the road is a good driver. Yet accidents still happen, wierd huh? So if I were to say, not a single person on the road is a bad driver, that is a statement you will say is 100% true? Because that's what you're saying.
So you honestly think 10 year olds can be eligible to drive? If after what I said, you think still that way, you're a lost cause. No joke, it's dead set impossible to talk sense into you. For example, did you even read the part I wrote about insurance and petrol?
10 year olds should be allowed to drive?
Like I said, I KNOW you know nothing of the road. I highly doubt you have a license let alone able to be on the road alone. Every single driver/rider I know would give a big NO to 10 year olds on the road.
Calm down. Nobody but him is suggesting that 10 year olds drive.
That is truly ridiculous though.
[QUOTE=VistaPOWA;33059484]18, I wouldn't trust any 16 year old to drive me anywhere.[/QUOTE]
Why not?
I drove perfectly fine throughout my days as a sixteen year-old.
16 is good, I see relatively few crashed in front of my School. It all really depends on where you live (Rural) and the work age (15), I think in North Dakota the driving age is something like 14 and 9 months because they all grow up driving trucks and equipment around their farms.
[editline]31st October 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=iPope;33057897]25. Less boy racers, less accidents and less cars (+ pollution ect.)
We should encourage people not to start driving instead of stopping driving. Driving is obviously a useful thing, and a fun thing for many but it is unsustainable at this point in time.[/QUOTE]
I'm 16, live in the middle of no-where, no public transportation and I Have a job thank you very much.
[QUOTE='[ToRn];33059418']Is that a joke? Is it a troll? How old are you?
Anybody who thinks it should be below 16 .. are themselves below the age of 16.
Anyone in their right minds would not go below 16.
As people have pointed, the development of the brain.
I play computer games, I think we all do ... and we see the screaming kids, a lot are most likely 10-13. They're a bunch of immature brats. They can't handle a computer game ... yet you want them behind the wheel of a car?
At least in video games when these kids mess up, you get to respawn. On the road, when these immature brats mess up, there's no respawning, you're dead. Lives are literally at risk by putting children behind the wheel of a car or on a motorcycle.
Yes I am aware you said putting them on a series of tests, but let's face it, all kids would take the test seriously for the goal of getting a license. Once that happens all hell breaks loose and they no longer give a shit.
When I stop a red light I don't wanna see some 10 year old kid pull up next to me. Oh by the way, I ride a motorcycle. Two weeks ago a man who looks in his 40's hit me, yesterday my motorcycle got picked up by the insurance company for repairs
Oh hell that's another thing, driver/riders have to pay for insurance and petrol. How exactly are these kids meant to pay for those? I doubt every parents wants to pay extra insurance and petrol. If you don't know yet, younger the driver/rider the more insurance you have to pay. I'm 21 and I gotta pay A LOT every year more than someone in their 40's ... and I'm 21! A 10 year old would have to pay a guaranteed amount of THOUSANDS every year to inurance, no matter what insurance deal they take. Also, every accident you get into, if it's your fault, your insurance payment will rise. I can only imagine the amount kids will have to paying after their 20th crash.
Now let's put a 10 year old in ... seriously, my life is in serious danger if 10year olds drive. On a motorcycle, 10 year olds drive like morons, it's almost a guaranteed death.
Kids can't act mature behind the computer screen, yet you want them behind the wheel of a car. Top notch thinking right there.[/QUOTE]
I'm 21, and not every 13 year old is immature like that. I'm sure you know the amount of terrible middleaged drivers out there, I'd trust some 13 year olds behind a wheel more than most older people. I really see no problem with having some 13 year olds drive with restrictions, and maybe some type of monitoring devices. I highly doubt they would be any more dangerous (I'd bet they'd be far less dangerous) than 16-18 year old children who need to impress all their friends.
Seriously though, it should depend on the area. Driving in the middle of Buttmunch, Ohio is going to be a different game than driving in a built up area in the UK.
[QUOTE=Sickle;33058423]But that differs between people.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but the development is far from done at 13. The minimum age should really be more like 19 or 20.
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