Dangerous Behind the Wheel

As a husband and a father, the safety of my family is perhaps one of the most important things in my life. Every time I get in a vehicle, I ensure everyone has his or her seatbelt on and I make it a point to be as safe as I can be when I drive. Unfortunately, there are certain things that even I cannot control. Imagine something so dangerous that it can take away everything and/or everyone you have in mere seconds, regardless of how safe you are. No matter what safety precautions anyone has taken, statistics show that teenagers, more specifically, sixteen year olds, are the most dangerous drivers on the road. Not only are they a danger to themselves, but even more frighteningly, they are a danger everyone around them. Because of this, I believe the driving age limit should be raised to eighteen and sixteen year olds should not be given a “graduated” driver’s license.

Driving is a task that requires the utmost attention to detail. Multitasking is perhaps one of the most important things that any driver has to do when he or she gets behind the wheel. You have to pay attention to your speed, other drivers, pedestrians, road conditions, and much more. Because teenagers get distracted so easily, they are often poor at multitasking. This, in addition to the complexities of driving, makes teenagers, specifically sixteen year olds, the most dangerous drivers on the road. In fact, motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer of teenagers, with an estimated 5,000 deaths attributed to it every year. (Schlachtenhaufen, 2008). Even more startling, sixteen year olds have a five to one ratio of being in fatal vehicle crashes when compared to drivers twenty years old or older. In 2003, there were 937 vehicle accidents in which the driver was sixteen years old. Out of the 937 crashes, the drivers were killed in 411 of them; the passengers in 352. (Davis, 2005). With shocking statistics like these, it is easy to see that sixteen year olds are the most dangerous group of drivers on the road. In addition to having the “bad driver” stereotype, teenagers are also looked at as irresponsible. While this may be true in some cases, it is not all-inclusive. Many people do not realize that a lot of what makes a teenager a bad driver is something a teen cannot help: the way his or her brain is continually developing.

As I mentioned earlier, driving is very complex and involves multitasking. Many people consider themselves “good” drivers, yet there are thousands of fender-benders every year. More often than not, the driver at fault got distracted by any one of a hundred of things. When it comes to teenagers, they are even more prone to getting distracted. Passengers, cell phones, gadgets, make-up, food, and much more are a big cause of distraction. What is often over-looked is the teenage driver that is, to the best of his or her ability, responsible behind the wheel. It is common knowledge that teenagers continue to develop physically and emotionally throughout their teenage years. They are especially prone to peer pressure and distraction at this point in their lives. That distraction and impulsiveness gets many teenagers in bad situations on the road. Research from the National Institute of Health shows that the frontal lobe of the brain controls impulses, judgment calls, decision-making, and the coordination of multitasking. This is very significant because the brain, especially this portion, continues to mature and develop well into the 20’s. (Gregory, 2008). This is noteworthy because it shows that no matter how hard a teenager might try, they are still more prone to causing an accident on the road due to circumstances beyond their control. These studies are being used more and more as justification to raise the driving age limit, but with limited success. Even with all of these findings and statistics, you will be hard pressed to find a teenager that does not think he or she is ready for the challenges of being a responsible driver.

Ask any teenager if he or she thinks the driving age should be raised and you’re likely to get a resounding “[expletive] no”. Most believe they are ready to venture out on their own. They do not believe they should be punished for the mistakes of the small fraction of teens that cause fatal accidents. Additionally, many parents depend on their teenagers to drive themselves to and from school, work, after school activities, and more. In today’s society, it is very common for both parents to work, and driving their teen-aged kids to such activities is unrealistic. Even with these disputes, many lawmakers are arguing that raising the driving age limit could save lives. Many states are increasing the restrictions on sixteen-year-old drivers. Some of these restrictions, such as limiting the number of passengers allowed in a vehicle or barring late-night driving altogether, have produced positive results in states such as New Jersey, where the driving age was raised to eighteen in 2001. (Gordon, 2008). Although it is unlikely that every state will take such drastic measures, it is obvious that younger drivers lack the experience needed to become completely effective drivers.

Statistics clearly show that sixteen year olds are the most dangerous drivers on the road. They need more experience, more practice, and more supervision. Furthermore, the fact that teenagers are more prone to accidents based on impulse, errors in judgment, and distraction, only strengthens that assertion. Although many families depend on their teenage drivers, the facts do not lie. While I do not believe that teenagers get behind the wheel with the intention of causing harm to themselves or others, I do believe that inexperience is a key factor in their likelihood of getting into accidents. Because of that, I believe that they should get more one-on-one time with an experienced driver, thereby having the driving age limit raised from sixteen years of age to eighteen.

Sources:

Davis, Robert. “Is 16 Too Young To drive a Car?” USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc., 2 Mar 2005. Web. 10 May 2011.

Gregory, Ted. “Should 16-Year-Olds Drive?” Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2008. Web. 10 May 2011.

Schlachtenhaufen, Mark. “Teens: Keep Driving Age 16.” Edmond Sun. The Edmond Sun, 11 Sep. 2008. Web. 10 May 2011.