When you study car accident statistics, you’ll quickly find that some of the highest rates belong to teen drivers. It becomes clear very quickly that one of the greatest risks you face every day is just that you have to share the road with these drivers.
This leads some people to believe that the minimum driving age is just too low. If 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds are crashing more often than older drivers, why not just move the minimum age up to 18 years of age? The crash rates for the 18-20 age group are lower, so would this save lives?
Raising the driving age could help, but the key lies in experience
You can argue that it may help, largely because of maturity. Older drivers may be more mature and reasonable, more able to think about the consequences of their actions and less likely to take unneeded risks that endanger everyone around them.
However, the key to safe driving is experience. The crash rate of 16-years-old drivers is so high, some argue, because those drivers have no experience. The rates fall by the time drivers turn 18 years of age because drivers have then gained experience and simply gotten better at driving.
If this is true, moving the driving age wouldn’t make a difference. You would simply have 18-year-old drivers with no experience, and it would be this age group causing the most crashes. At some point, people just have to learn to drive safely by starting to drive.
Have you been injured in a car wreck?
When another driver injures you in a car accident, it is important to know how to seek compensation for medical bills and other costs. An experienced advocate can help you take the next steps.
