At the fresh age of 16, kids are allowed to hit the roads and fully operate a car, completely on their own.
While in other states the driving age is even lower than 16, it’s not the age that’s the issue. The lack of preparedness due to the far too easy driving test is the root of the problem.
The drivers test is broken down into two different sections, taken six months apart. The first one is a written test that is 40 questions long.
The majority of these questions are simply common sense. In order to pass the test, you only have to get 32 of these correct. By passing the test, drivers are permitted to take on the road with one licensed driver in the car.
So likely without ever operating a car and only answering a few questions, teenagers are put out on the roads just like an average daily driver.
This phase lasts for six months with certain restrictions. Drivers can only have one licensed adult and then one other unlicensed person in the car, with the exception of family members.
You can only drive certain hours of the day and have to keep a log of how many hours you drive to reach the required amount in the six months between your permit and intermediate.
After the hours and months requirements are met, you can then go retest to get your intermediate license. This test is actually behind the wheel and normally in a parking lot or empty road.
The test lasts less than five minutes and consists of stopping at a stop sign, parallel parking, driving a 20 yard strip, backing out of a parking spot, and showing that you know how to use your blinkers. This is no demonstration of a driver being able to handle the roads and operating a car on their own.
After this test is passed, you can drive completely on your own with no adults or supervision in the car.
The test itself needs to be more difficult and more telling of a driver’s capability. Personally, I went up on the curb during the parallel parking portion of my test, and still passed with a perfect score! Something isn’t adding up.
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of preventable deaths in teens in the United States.
I have witnessed countless fender benders and wrecks in the parking lot of GRC because some students are ready to be driving on their own yet.
With a harder written test and longer driving test, it will be easier to see who is ready to be out on the roads. This will decrease the number of teens getting in car accidents and reduce the risk of the number one preventable death of American teens.
