if your teenager was driving with his friends in your silver or gray BMW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I'm 80 years old saying this, and my 16 year old self would throttle me, but why is the driving age 16? It seems young given what we know about a teen's development. There should at least be more restrictions, like driving to school (which is typically close), no driving at night, etc.

Like I said, I know this sounds old-fogeyish but now that I'm a mom....

You have to consider not everyone lives in an area with lots of public transit options or where most things are very close by. I grew up in a rural area, and 16 seems like a reasonable driving age. Most of the kids have part-time jobs, the school buses can literally take over an hour, if both parents are working sports aren't an option unless at least some kids drive, etc. The idea of limiting the use, though, is a good one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just attended the manditory parent/teen DMV class now required in VA. Stats show that kids who are given their own car, whether it's a shiny, new BMW or a crappy second hand car are twice as likely to have crashes than teens who have to borrow the family car. When they have to borrow, they have to ask, and have to be more accountable to the parent. Otherwise, they just hop in and drive whenever and with whomever they please.

What about crappy cars that teens have to buy themselves? I know I took care of mine and didn't drive reckless as I was paying for the gas, ins, etc along with wiping my savings out to buy the car.

[Anonymous]

adults drive crazy too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I'm 80 years old saying this, and my 16 year old self would throttle me, but why is the driving age 16? It seems young given what we know about a teen's development. There should at least be more restrictions, like driving to school (which is typically close), no driving at night, etc.

Like I said, I know this sounds old-fogeyish but now that I'm a mom....

You have to consider not everyone lives in an area with lots of public transit options or where most things are very close by. I grew up in a rural area, and 16 seems like a reasonable driving age. Most of the kids have part-time jobs, the school buses can literally take over an hour, if both parents are working sports aren't an option unless at least some kids drive, etc. The idea of limiting the use, though, is a good one.

FT working parents here WAY out in the burbs and I too wish the driving age were 18. Wah Wah Wah if I have to figure out how to cart my kids around, their safety and eveyrone else's is more important than my convenience factor.

The DC metro area is NOT rural and I think the driving age in the dc metro area should be 18.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:adults drive crazy too

True, but check out the sobering stats as it relates to teen drivers.