Why 16 year olds should not get their driver license - Essay Example

Why Sixteen Year Old Should Not Get Driving License. Teen driving has been a matter of discussion for a long time now with people giving various opinions concerning the right age to obtain a driving license. Currently, most states in the US issue driving licenses to teens ranging from 16-19 years. The question that has been asked on several occasions is whether a sixteen year old should be issued with a driving license. As much as there are no legal provisions that bar a sixteen year old from obtaining a license in most of the states, the rise in road accidents caused by teen drivers makes this fact a subject to scrutiny.

Given the current statistics on accidents related to teen driving, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the issuance of driving licenses to teenagers needs to be reviewed. A sixteen year old is still not an adult and is not able to make critical decisions when required to do so. There are several reasons to support the fact that a sixteen year old should not be issued with a driving license as discussed below.Lack of AnticipationFor a good driver, anticipation is very vital in making correct judgments on the road while driving.

A driver needs to look beyond his/her bonnet in order to drive according to the surrounding and be able to make quick decisions in accordance with the prevailing factors around him/her. A teenager of 16 years cannot quickly comprehend the happenings around him/her and will not look beyond the bonnet while driving. The fact that they cannot react quickly to any changes around them that can potentially be risky makes them very vulnerable to accidents and, therefore, not fit to hold driving licenses.

Risk TakingTeenagers like taking unnecessary risks in almost everything that they do. A good example is in video games, where after playing street race games, they will normally want to do the same practically on the road. For a sixteen year old kid with a driving license, imitating video games will lead to overspending. One fact about driving at very high speeds is that getting to control the vehicle becomes a big challenge. According to recent reports, most deaths of teenagers between the age of 15 and 18 are caused by crashes that are, as a result, of overspending.

Most teenagers at sixteen years cannot make out the difference in the working principles of a vehicle and what they play on video games. Mastering the rules of the highway may also be a problem for most teens at sixteen years. Consequently, this may lead to accidents that may cost lives.Lack of Self-DisciplineMost teenagers are fans to loud music and other channels of entertainment. They are characterized by listening to loud music while driving, as well as drinking. As a driver, any form of disruption while driving can be very fatal in the end.

Young people of sixteen years may not be able to uphold good driving morals. Recent reports by The National Traffic Safety Administration showed that most young drivers of between 15 to 17 years admitted to drunk driving and talking over the phone while driving. These factors clearly show that a young person of sixteen years doesn’t deserve to be issued with a driving license.In conclusion, the issuance of driving licenses to teenagers needs a thorough review and possibly the minimum legal age for driving also needs to be raised to 19.

Teenagers especially below eighteen years are considered young adults and cannot make quick decisions that are part and parcel of any driver. They are, therefore, not eligible to be issued with the driving licenses as this poses great risks to them and other road users.