People are talking about teen drivers. Lawmakers in several states; including Nevada, Florida, Texas and Georgia, have changed the legal age to obtain a driver’s license to 18. A lot of teens and their families suffer because of this law. Teens need to be able to drive when they are 16!
One of the biggest feelings of independence and accomplishment in our life is our first driver’s license, because there is nothing a teenager would want more than independence. Driving to school, to our part time jobs, or even to the store to get groceries are tiny things that make a teen feel good about themselves. So, why would we wait until we’re eighteen?
According to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, a teen must hold an instruction permit for six months before even getting a license, and when you do get one your parent or guardian will have to agree to accept financial responsibilities, meaning they, or the school, can revoke your license at any time. Nevada law also disapproves of transporting any other person under the age of 18 except family, until the “… the first six months after licensing.” There are also restrictions on when teen are allowed to drive. Between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. teens are not allowed to drive unless they are traveling to or from a scheduled event, such as work or a school event.” Any other traffic laws still apply to teenagers, but those are the special ones just for us.
As teenagers, we may be a little too impatient at times, but on the brighter side, we get to drive places, get to show our friends our new car, and get that good feeling of independence even if it is limited. Sadly, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety there were 196 fatalities among 15 year old’s in driving and 369 among 16 year old’s, and a whopping 3,058 deaths among teenagers total. The highest death rate among 19 year old’s. This is most likely the cost of teenagers wanting to get behind the wheel the moment they get their license. It is always better to go twelve months with an instructor’s permit than six months, that way you have more experience when you get your license. But this should also be up to families and their teens.
