Teen Driving

For years, American teens have had the ritual of get their license as early as they could but within the last few decades, it has changed. As a teen driver, I know how dangerous driving can be. After reading the article "Fewer Youths Jump behind the Wheel at 16", I found that there is a lot of information teens should know about driving. The article states some eye opening statistics. For example in the last decade, the proportion of 16-year-olds nationwide who hold driver’s licenses has plummeted from nearly half to less than one-third according to the Federal Highway Administration. The national rate of licensed 16-year-olds dropped to 29.8 percent in 2006 from 43.8 percent in 1998. The article goes on and talks about fatal accidents that teens could get themselves into. Many teens don't think about the dangers they could get themselves into when they drive. It is a big responsibility to be driving behind the wheel. Many teens (including myself) can't wait till they finally have the freedom of going anywhere they want. I believe the cost of getting your license at a young age is very costly. From driver education classes, gas prices, and car insurance costs are all major contributors to less teens getting their license at 16. Years ago, teens wouldn't sit in front of a computer or TV for hours on end. They were more motivated to get their license as early as they could. I believe teens have undergone a major change and becoming plain lazy. Some parents aren’t helping matters either. According to the article one girl’s mother said that she would be “happy to shuttle her daughter to swimming and cheerleader practice." Parents may want to protect their kids but they also might be instilling the wrong ideas into their teen’s minds that they can always fall back on their parents for everything.

Teen Driving

Most teenagers can't wait to get their license, but that isn't the case for everyone. I think that teens should read the article "Fewer Youths Jump behind the Wheel at 16" because it explains all about teen driving, includes statistics, and shares interviews with teens. The article also tells you about fatal accidents that you could get into. They way we learn how to drive today, has undergone lots of changes over the years. Safety is in the picture more, and more precautions are being taken. "It’s a big change in a major American ritual of driving as early as possible,” Said Mr. Marsden. Most teens do not think about the dangers they could get into because they are so excited to finally have their license and they finally have freedom of going where they wanted to when they wanted to without having to depend on their parents giving them rides. Parents are in hope of instill when their kids are driving because no matter how good of a driver you think you are cars are dangerous and not everyone is safe on the road so anything could happen.