{"id":11076,"date":"2014-09-08T16:39:10","date_gmt":"2014-09-08T23:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/?p=11076"},"modified":"2014-09-08T16:39:10","modified_gmt":"2014-09-08T23:39:10","slug":"teen-drivers-is-it-time-to-re-examine-the-minimum-driving-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/blog\/teenage-car-insurance\/teen-drivers-is-it-time-to-re-examine-the-minimum-driving-age\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen Drivers – Is It Time to Re-Examine the Minimum Driving Age?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Learning to drive is not only a part of growing up; it\u2019s a coming of age rite. But, that rite should include a certain level of responsibility and maturity. Unfortunately, that may not be the case these days. Given the increasing number of distracted driving deaths among teen drivers, is it time to re-examine the minimum driving age? Some people say \u201cyes\u201d\u2026while others are bracing for a fight. The statistics speak for themselves and car insurance<\/a> carriers are digging in to maintain their existing high rates for these equally high-risk drivers, although discounts are available for more safety conscious teen drivers. <\/p>\n Scientific studies of the human brain have shown that the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that forms judgment, controls impulses and emotions, is not fully \u201cconnected\u201d until our mid-20s. These studies indicate that a psychological component may be associated with a teenager\u2019s lapses in judgment, along with active hormones contributing to thrill-seeking behavior. So, it\u2019s fairly safe to say a teen brain may not view risk or dangerous driving situations the same as a brain over 25.<\/p>\n In most states, the minimum age for unsupervised driving is 16. South Dakota has the distinction of the youngest legal age at 14 years, 6 months. Meanwhile, the oldest minimum driving age is found in the state of New Jersey at 17 years of age. It\u2019s worth noting that studies consistently have shown that New Jersey has maintained a lower number of teen driving fatalities annually. With over 4,000 teens dying every year and thousands seriously injured in car crashes, teen drivers have four times the number of crashes than any other age group. That, in itself, should be ample proof to warrant increasing the driving age to 18.<\/p>\n But, some will argue that raising the minimum driving age would pose a great deal of inconvenience and hardship for parents who feel their 16-year-old should be able to drive. They also believe that it\u2019s unfair to place all teenage drivers into the same category by prohibiting more mature and responsible teens from driving. All things considered, they may have a valid point; it should be examined on an individual basis. <\/p>\n