Raise the legal driving age

[Shounak]

I think they should raise the legal driving age to 18 in all States and Territories across Australia..

1. You should be an adult to drive by yourself due to serious nature of driving. Ie. You can do heaps of damage in a car and cause a lot of legal troubles, things I think you should be an adult to deal with.

2. Immaturity. Whilst a lot of 17 year olds may be mature enough to drive, I don't think the demographic as a whole should be allowed to. These are secondary school kids, greater responsibility I think is needed..

I have more points, but I'll leave it at this for now..

Make the uniform driving age in AUSTRALIA 18 and do away with speed restrictions etc..

Who's with me?

 

[maxy0987]

Yep i agree.
I think people should be 18 to start driving, starting to drive alone at the age of 16 or 17 or whatever it is in other states isn't a good idea.

The maturity factor you mentioned is the main thing, and yes you can argue (and would be right) that age does not mean maturity. However, a lot of accidents are caused by peer pressure and showing off, not to mention lack of concentration.

So, at 16-17 you are still at school, driving to school (like in american movies), you have a few friends in the car and are distracted by them talking to you, have an accident and bingo.
Or, at 16-17 you are at school showing off in the schools carpark and hit another car, another bad point.

Yes this can happen when you are 18 and going out (and is often when accidents happen) but why would you want to give younger and less mature (for arguments sake) people that situation?

I just dont think it's a good idea, i know plenty of peopel 18-20 who are ****ups when it comes to driving and i wouldn't feel safe with them in the car when there is any more than myself and the driver (because their other friends are a bad influence)

 

[Jecs]

Not Me.

Everyone falls off the ladder, and you learn from it. Sometimes its best to be chucked in the deepend and learn your limits and what can happen in a rough situation. my old man was driving trucks when he was 16 and he still driving them to date (hes 56) and only time hes been in an accident was when he hit a kangaroo and when a tourist didnt give way (and hes had his share of hot cars).

on the news, when u see an accident involving a P plater, they really focus on a that red sticker on the window as if to say "thats why he crashed" but u'll find its the kids whose parents buy them everything. when a kids has to buy his own car, pay for rear tyres, and engine tune ups then thats when he says "hey i can be a smart arse, but i dont have the money to do it" where as the rich boy "its ok my daddy will pay for everything"

Jecs

 

[253@7k]

I voted no. Take New Zealand for example, you can get your drivers when your 15.


This means that people have been driving long before they get into the whole "lets go get drunk" thing.

As they are driving at such young ages, when they are 18 and can drink, driving is less of a novelty and therefore they are less inclined to drink and drive.

So if the driving age was 18 in Australia then we would just have more teenagers (like myself) just jumping in thier cars and driving even if they have had a couple of beers.

Not that I ever drink and drive though, I value my life, licence and car too much to do anything stupid like that, but not everyone thinks like me.

 

[maxy0987]

jecs how does that relate to age?
A parent can buy their kids cars at any age, by your reasoning the kids have the same attitudes through 16,17,18+ I think giving a kid a 16th bday pressie of a new car would be a lot mroe dangerous than giving him a car at 18.

Falling and getting up is one thing, being 16 and feeling like you are superman after watching a movie that's just come out is another (idea being that younger you are the more involved you get with movies and the ideas shown in them can bring you in over your head)

 

[maxy0987]

slundy - they have fewer cars

I wouldnt trust a 15y/o washing my car let alone driving one

 

[Shounak]

Slundy O Grundy.. The reason the NZ driving age is 15 is due to remoteness of a lot of places. Kids can't get to school unless they drive. Public transport is **** in those area's and it's either drive or not go to school..

They have heaps of restrictions though. Like only allowed to drive between 8-11am and 3-7pm or something ridiculous like that and the passenger restriction is taken very seriously..

But driving age does change with age. I'd love to see a breakdown of accidents by age though.

 

[bangers]

jecs how does that relate to age?
A parent can buy their kids cars at any age, by your reasoning the kids have the same attitudes through 16,17,18+ I think giving a kid a 16th bday pressie of a new car would be a lot mroe dangerous than giving him a car at 18.

Falling and getting up is one thing, being 16 and feeling like you are superman after watching a movie that's just come out is another (idea being that younger you are the more involved you get with movies and the ideas shown in them can bring you in over your head)

lets see how many accidents there are after a viewing of the new Fast & Furious movie. all the little showoffs trying to drift their corolla and roll it over some innocent bystander.

 

[253@7k]

slundy - they have fewer cars

I wouldnt trust a 15y/o washing my car let alone driving one

Valid point, they do have fewer cars.

I was driving a $520 000 harvester, stripping crops when I was 14, so I dont have a problem with 15 year olds driving cars. As long as they knew how to drive (everyone can be taught to drive, does not matter if they are 15 or 21.) then there would be no more danger than having drunk 18 year olds on the road.

 

[Shounak]

Valid point, they do have fewer cars.

I was driving a $520 000 harvester, stripping crops when I was 14, so I dont have a problem with 15 year olds driving cars. As long as they knew how to drive (everyone can be taught to drive, does not matter if they are 15 or 21.) then there would be no more danger than having drunk 18 year olds on the road.

This is the point everyone misses.. Looking back, a lot of individuals COULD drive and had the raw skills to drive, but the right attitude? Most P platers can drive properly. They can do turns and handle themselves adequately, it's when they become ****y that the problem occurs (in most cases)..

Anyway, this isn't about individuals. Otherwise nearly everyone abotu 18-21 would say, oh a few years ago I was fine to drive. It's about the collective, people in the 16-17 demographic..

On the whole do you think 16-17 is an ideal age to start driving? Not could you drive a car at 16-17..