Indiana Teen driver law (Wabash: school, taxi driver, live)

[Jaxson]

Do you agree with it?

While stopping any driver under 18 from using a cell phone while driving is a good thing I wish they had raised the age on getting the license. Most, not all, 15 1/2 year olds are just not ready for the road and responsibility of driving.

Looking back when I got mine I wasn't fully ready either now as a parent I see the ramifications more clearly. Being raised on a farm we started driving tractors and lawn mowers around 10, 13 on the road in trucks from field to field. Most families don't have that opportunity any more to put some experience under a driver before they hit the road.

What say you?

[MzSnapCup]

I agree with the change. I have three teenagers, one of whom is driving. With the price of driver's education my children won't be attending it, just whatever experience they can get while having permits.

I also grew up on a farm in Wabash County and was driving on the roads too at an early age.

[Future Trooper]

Originally Posted by MzSnapCup

I agree with the change. I have three teenagers, one of whom is driving. With the price of driver's education my children won't be attending it, just whatever experience they can get while having permits.

I also grew up on a farm in Wabash County and was driving on the roads too at an early age.

Part of my childhood I grew up on a farm in Putnam County so I was also driving on the roads at an early age

[cfarris]

I feel the same...While stopping any driver under 18 from using a cell phone while driving is a good thing I also wish they would make adults pass a test to do the same.I could not tell you how many times I have got behind people of all ages and they were weaving or stopped at a green light just gabbing a way. Just as a general rule if people can not drive and talk they should pick one or the other .wow I feel better,thanks As far as the age of driving its self I think the law is on target with it,The sooner they can drive the sooner they can get jobs and the sooner moms and dads are not taxi drivers.

[safalf2003]

I agree with the under 18 cell phone law because being distracted by a cell is the last thing new drivers need. I still think 16 year olds should be able to obtain a license though. Most of the accidents that involve teen drivers is due to the lack of driving experience. If the law requires a person to be 18, that person is going to be just as inexperienced as a 16 year old.

I drive for work (about 20-30 hours a week) and don't belive that 16 and 17 year olds are the only people to drive dangerously.

[I-miss-Ind]

Originally Posted by safalf2003

Most of the accidents that involve teen drivers is due to the lack of driving experience. If the law requires a person to be 18, that person is going to be just as inexperienced as a 16 year old.

I am not sure if I agree totally with that. I believe it is more of a maturity issue than experience. I have known many kids in my time as they became new drivers and no matter the age 15-19 the more mature and responsible they were the less likely they were to have an accident.

[tpierce46928]

BTW, I got my license when I was 19 and was in an accident in my first year. I taught my sister to drive when she was 22, and she had an accident in her first year. Age is not the problem! It is lack of experience. If you take a drivers license away from 16 year olds, I guarantee you, the accident rate amongst 17 y.o. will go way up, because now they are the inexperienced drivers!

[mbuszu]

Originally Posted by tpierce46928

BTW, I got my license when I was 19 and was in an accident in my first year. I taught my sister to drive when she was 22, and she had an accident in her first year. Age is not the problem! It is lack of experience. If you take a drivers license away from 16 year olds, I guarantee you, the accident rate amongst 17 y.o. will go way up, because now they are the inexperienced drivers!

The above parallels the experiences that my immediate family, extended family, and I had as well. Unless you're going to make young adults wait until much older (~22 years old or so) to drive, you won't see marked difference in accident rates as a lack of driving experience seems to be the main factor.

As a side note, I think that to make our roads much safer the solution is instead quite obvious. Outlaw driving distractions such as 1) using a cell phone, 2) listening to a music playing device, and 3) eating/putting on makeup/shaving or doing anything other than driving when driving. Enforce these laws with fines. That probably seems excessive (and probably is), but seriously folks think back to when you had your own accidents... didn't it involve being distracted by something?

[arrow_keys]

Are kids who drop out of school allowed to get a drivers license? If not, I wish that were the case because then my wife might not have dropped out like an idiot.

[tpierce46928]

We can't eliminate distractions. Kids are the biggest distraction. Are they going to ban that? I agree with taking away distractions from teens because of their inexperience, but adults need to make good choices. My husband can't adjust the radio without driving off the road. I, on the other hand, can multitask safely. Each driver needs to know their limitations. Absolutely nothing will take my attention off the task of driving, no matter what I am doing. Many people can't say that.