A. 16

B. 17

C. 18

D. 18 + get highschool diploma before being allowed to get license.




I think it would be a better idea to raise the age to 18yrs or maybe 18yrs plus get highschool diploma. I just don 't think that all kids are mature enough to have their license.

I definitely agree with you 1000%

We have about 5-6 newly licensed teenagers on our street and they peel out, drive way too fast and are very disrespectful if you ask them to slow down and watch the kids (especially the teenage boys)

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I agree. I think the age should be at least 18. Even most 20yr olds don't drive well.
Judy

My DS is 17 and has been driving for over a year. My son is a very responsible driver and I think he was fine driving at the age of 16. I am VERY involved with him and he was taught the right way to drive and is not allowed a carful of people either. I think the parents should know if their kids are responsible enough to drive. If the parents don't think they are then they should step in and not allow it.

Jen

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There has been a rash of teenagers getting killed in car accidents here in the past year - I mean like a dozen or so. It's really bad. Some have involved alcohol, others just a result of inexperience. It's terrifying to think about my DD driving in 3 years. Here in NJ, you have to be 17 to get your license and then I think it's still probationary for awhile. It seems like that might be too young. It's a catch-22 situation: the only way they'll become good drivers is by actually driving and gaining experience in all driving conditions which means they will be inexperienced and dangerous when they first get their license and start driving in all kinds of conditions.

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Here in Kansas the legal age to get a permit is 14, then they get their regular license at 16. They have to have 50 hours of driving experience with an adult to get their license.

I was opposed to letting my daughter drive early, but then it was pointed out to me that the earlier I let her drive, the more experience she has behind the wheel with me sitting at her side guiding her when she turns 16....it's scary all around. I have 13 1/2 more months to decide.

Lisa

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I have one that will be able to get a permit in 6 months. I am totally wish they had to wait till they were 18 and had graduated. Or maybe letting them have a permit at 17 and driving with the permit for 1 year.

At 16 most kids are no were near responsible enough to drive a car. Hell, they scare me on bikes!

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I too think the age should be older. However, there are some kids who at 16 are more mature and responsible and better able to handle driving. My own daughter will be 16 in April, got her permit at 15 and has not driven more than 10 hours total because we don't feel that she is mature enough or responsible enough to be on the road. We have told her repeatedly that she will not have her license until her behavior and her grades are at a level where we believe she is more mature and working for what it is she wants. Also, I don't know how it is in other places, but here the better the school grades the lower the car insurance. She is a B student but capable of A's if she felt like studying. So anyway she will earn it!

They have done studies on the brain of a teenager and found that they are prone for risk-taking and fearless behaviors due to the brain still maturing. This is probably more prevalent with males too. Of course, not every single person can be held to this "theory"
.

That being said, I think the driving age should be changed to at least 17 year of age. I think 18 yrs. would probably be best, but not likely.

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I believe a high school diploma should be a requirement...

A friend of mine works at a high school in NJ, and she is always telling me about boys getting killed in car wrecks where they just blew thru a stop sign, went flying over the rail road tracks, etc.

I think the age should be 18. You have to be 18 to vote, and do other legal things, plus, you're (hopefully) a bit more mature by then.

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Not before 18 years of age. we have lost 4- 16 years olds and 1- 17 year old in the course of 6 weeks here in this area. All were due to speeding. At 16 you have no fear, you think you'll live for ever, or just don't care. One of these boys had just got his first car as a christmas present. How as a parent, how do you ever get over this? As some one who lost a mother to a car accident, it was a unwritten rule in this house, don't even think about driving till your eighteen. I drove my kids where ever they needed to go, and picked them up where and when ever,and they all know that holds true even today, if they don't like where they are, or who their with, or just don't feel right about getting in a car with someone,or they don't feel they can drive, call home, no matter what time, day or night. no questions asked. It's the only way I got through the teen years!

As a driver in Atlanta, I would like it if you had to be at least 25 before you got your learners permit!!!

Seriously, I think it would be a wonderful idea that you had to have a HS diploma as well.
Each morning I wake up to an email from our police department and there are at least 5 DUI drivers listed JUST in my zip code alone. I do not think that I would feel comfortable with my daughter driving. Even though a child might be ready and mature enough OTHER drivers on the road are the ones that I am worried about.

Today in the parking lot of Kroger a man pulled out in front of another car. The car honked and the man slammed on his brakes, opened his door and started yelling. Then drove to the stop sign, stopped, opened hi car door and started yelling and waving with one finger. This man must have been around 45-50. Looked like a nut doing it. Perhaps we should all just walk.

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3 kids was killed in this area just yesterday and one was in a bad wreck today and was air lifted to the hosp. in gaurded condition.
my daughter is 21 and has her permit and HATES to drive. She would rather go to the gyno than drive. I dont have a problem with it. She lost 5 close friends to wrecks when she was in highschool and has lost one since she got out cause they were hit by a teen age driver.

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I think 16 is WAY too young.

As far as I am concerned, my daughter will be allowed to drive when she goes out on her first date. Thirty years old.

For most teens, 17. My oldest son was not ready maturity wise or skills wise to even have his learner's permit at 16. He passed his drivers' test at age 17 years 4 months - LOL, I was still a nervous wreck!

When they can afford to buy their own car and pay for their own insurance.

I think it really depends on the maturity level of the child. I also think that there should be a requirement of a lot more hours with an instructor and parents.

I have my first getting his temps in 6 months and I definitely feel comfortable with him getting them.

My son is learning at age of 16 yrs, however I believe it depends on the maturity level of the teen.

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could you let me know how it works?how a 16 year old get a licence,learn how to drive?
I have a 13 year old and need to be prepared...
to let you know ,I learn how to drive in France ,and there you have to be 18 ,and have to have 20 of driving lessons in a specialized driving school(which in all can cost you a min of $3500),yep really expensive.

I think 16 is way too young to be driving.18 would be better....

You need to contact your state dept. of motor vehicles to obtain that info. It's probably available on the internet. In my state, the person must be 15 yrs & 9 mos. to get a learner's permit. Then after holding the permit for 6 mos & getting the driver's training in, plus 60 hrs additional drive time with a licensed driver under various conditions. After completing this regimen, a provisional drivers license will be issued upon passing a written test & driver's test. This is a graduated process, and certain terms must be met before a regular driver's license is issued, including age & length of time the license has been held without any driving infractions.

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You know seriously I don't know why they don't make it a requirement that no one will get their drivers license until they complete highschool and get a diploma. I think there would be alot of people reconsidering dropping out.



I guess what got me thinking about all of this is my DD's friend's older sister is about to get her license in a week or two and was talking about how she could take the girls skating and the thought of that just made me absolutely cringe. There is no way in heck I am going to let my 12 yr DD go with some 16-17 yr old girl that didn't even seem mature enough to be driving. She is a sweet girl but you can just tell the maturity isn't there.

I cringe at the thought of my DD getting behind the wheel in 4 yrs.

I guess I am just paranoid because my brother was 26 when he was killed in his car accident and even then I don't think at his age he had fully matured. I love my brother and I don't want that to sound awful but I wonder sometimes if had grown up a little faster and been more responsible if he would still be here, but on the other hand I know he had some issues on the side of that and I think that is why he couldn't mature, I am not talking drugs or anything like that. It just sucks because I wish my kids could have known him and how great and fun he was to be around. I know he would have loved my kids.

I wonder how many other people have those same thoughts years after losing someone they love.

Different kids are ready at different times. It would have been such a disservice and a shame to hold back my eldest from driving until he is 18+ or graduates from highschool. He is an excellent driver, is incredibly mature, and doesn't have a lot of friends to haul around with him (which is where I think they really get in trouble). He drives to/from school each day (private-no busses) and to/from work. He is available to help get his younger brother to/from school and activities and run errands here and there (although he doesn't do much of either of these). As a full-time work-outside-the-home mom, I don't know how I would have managed getting him to/from the places he needs to be. I know that some will think I'm shirking my responsibilities, but trust me, that's really not the case. We spend a lot of time together and I make it a point to share interests with them and give them home-cooked meals regularly. LOL.

My younger son...well, check back on that one. He is a different kid altogether! There I might say 25 would be good.

cj/

By the way, current MA law on driver's licenses is different than when I grew up (oh so long ago...) in IL. They can get their permit at 16, but must take a commercial driving school ($$$) and wait 6 months before taking their road test and getting a permanent license. For the first 6 mos of licensure, it is a "cinderella" license - not sure of the hours - and they can only take family members in the car as passengers.

Without the driving school, I believe that kids have to wait until they are 18.

cj/

I'm sure if our parents could have had this same discussion when we all were getting our license at 16 they would have LOL I DO think it depends upon the kid and maturity level. My oldest was responsible and he got his at 17. My dd is 15 has her permit and may or not get her license next nov. We made her wait 3 before getting her learners. She has matured quite a bit in the last 5 months, since getting a job...but we'll see...Her driving is getting better...I'm one that feels the more I let her drive the better driver she will be when I'm not there (as nerve wracking as it is!)

My son just turned 16 and he will be getting his license soon.

I am going to have to vote for A although I really just want to lock him in the basement and stunt his growth. The reason that I vote A and they should get it at 16 is because I want as much time as I can get of him driving under my supervision. I want to be incharge of where he goes, when he goes and who he goes with.

I know that to a lot of people I am going to see very strict but that is alright. He already knows that for the first 3 months, he will not be having cds in the car. He has enough to do, he doesnt need to worry about changing cds. He will also not be driving friends anywhere for a long time. He has to be responsible for getting himself from point a to point be, he doesnt need to be responsible for other people in his car. I know that chances are that he will have an accident in the first year and I really do not want him to have to deal with the fact that he was driving and hurt <or worse> one of his friends for the rest of his life.

I am sure that eventually, I will give him freedoms but he is going to have to earn each and everyone.

Terrible Mom arent I? lol Oh, and while everyone is thinking that I am off my rocker, I am even toying with the idea of getting a computer chip that will record the speed and degree of braking the driver does. I am not sold on this but it wont be a huge secret from my son, he will know.

Darlene

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My nephew honestly didn't *want* to drive until he was 17! We all think that it was because he knew that he'd have to be chauffer for his two little sisters -- both parents work! He waited until his younger sister got her license before he got his; now SHE is the chauffer for the younger one. Sneaky, eh?!

Yep.18 with a high school diploma and a drivers ed class passed.

I still stand behind the 18+ as I said earlier. My husband had always said 16 until he became a cop 5 years ago. He has changed his mind now after some of the stops he has made. You would be surprised at how most teenagers act when they think no one knows what they are doing.
Judy

My son is 15 and has his permit...He's doing a good job, but there is no way that he's getting his license at 16. He doesn't know this yet though! LOL... It's tough enough to drive on these roads here in Atlanta for me...and I'm 43. There's no way that kids 16 should be driving by themselves. I think that 18 is a good age. I don't like how different states have different laws...I wish it would just be the same laws across the board...In NJ you had to be 17 to get your license...still too young in my opinion. I realize that some kids are more mature and responsible than others...it's the other guy you have to watch out for though...and down here there are some 50 year olds who shouldn't have driver's licenses! ~Lisa

My dd turns 16 in April and is begging for her license. Dh and I have told her she's just not ready. Heck I'M not ready!!
She has driven a few times but only on back country roads with NO traffic. I made dh take her because the thought of it scares me to death...lol
Her thing is, she thinks she's entitled to it because she'll be 16. I keep having to remind her that she can't do anything without my signature and if her attitude don't change, I won't sign and she can wait until she's 18!

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Good for you!!!!

I feel that they should be 18 at least. My DD is still 6yrs away from driving but even now I think about when the time comes and worry. I don't like the fact that when they are under 18 and they wreck or do something stupid that it's the parent's responsibilty. I feel if the state's feel that thy're mature enough to drive at 16 then they should be responsible for all their own actions. I work with a lady who's daughter snuck out when she was 16 and "stole" her mother's brand new Honda Accord, loaded six of her friends in then wrecked it. She was very mad to put it nicely because she was told she could not have any friends in the car anyway.

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Oh dear, I've gotta eat crow on this one....17YO DS had an unexpected meeting with a curb last night (first snowstorm of the year) and it's not driveable. BUT, I do think that these kind of things will happen ... and the same thing might have happened at 18 or 19...

Ugh....but looks like hubby can fix it himself and be able to save about $500 that way.

cj/

I understand what everyone's saying about being 18 however I believe that even if they wait until 18 or have a diploma that won't matter much because driving will still be new to them and they would probably still do the same irresponsible things whenever they got their license.

I agree!

cj/