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Should the driving age be raised to 18 years old?

I’m the parent of a teenager, and I have to admit—I’m terrified of my 16-year-old driving soon. It’s not even that I’m concerned about her, but I worry about other young drivers on the road in our small town. Would it be safer to raise the driving age to 18?

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Kaitlin May · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Parenting just doesn’t get easier, does it? We completely understand where you’re coming from. There are arguments both for and against raising the driving age to 18, but it’s ultimately best to keep the laws as they are.
An American teenager is twice as likely to die in a fatal car accident as an adult, which is certainly a concerning statistic.
However, age isn’t as much as a factor in an accident as experience is, and there are reasons why raising the driving age could have adverse effects:
  • Working parents will lose out on valuable transportation for their children
  • Teens on the cusp of turning the driving age in their state will be slighted by the change
  • The learning curve necessary to shape a mindful driver will be delayed instead of avoided
If the rite of passage for earning a driver’s license at 16 or 17 is revoked, teens in those age groups may defiantly drive their vehicles anyway. Raising the driving age won’t necessarily dispel those risks.
No matter when your teen starts driving, making sure they’re protected on the road with the best
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