Teenagers who get in car accidents are always blamed for the accident, just because they are a “new” driver, however young drivers are not always the cause of accidents even though they are always blamed for it. In fact, shouldn’t new drivers be just as good as if not better than drivers who have been driving for too long and have been getting careless? Studies have shown that majority of accidents are caused by new drivers. But does this mean that the driving age should be raised?!

Absolutely not! Parents wait for the day that their child can get their license and they wait for they day they do not have to chauffeur their child around any more. Not only is getting your license at 16 exciting for you and your parents, it is also a sense of freedom. As sophomores and juniors in high school you are getting more mature and are craving a sense of freedom and getting your license does just that. Raising this age would devastate many teens across the state and country and would also have no benefit to other drivers on the road. Even if the age was risen to 17, the drivers would have the same amount of experience, EXCEPT 17 year olds feeling more mature and “cooler” would act that way on the road, resulting in careless new driving skills.

On the other hand, teenage drivers are better drivers than one group of people on the road, the elderly. They have quicker reflexes and are more aware of their surroundings. Studies show that California’s car fatalities are mainly caused by elders. It is proved that as you get older, your eye sight and hearing weakens, so how can an elder driver be a safer driver than a student driver. Although elder have experience, they lack the strong tools that students have, to use that experience while driving.

Fact is, student drivers are getting better do to new rules about driving hours and driving instruction and although they are not the “best” drivers, they still deserve a chance at freedom at a young age.