Driver Licensing and Young Adults:

Driver Licensing and Young Adults: The Case for Young Drivers

Of late there have been numerous complaints regarding young drivers. Many authorities have suggested that the licensing age be raised to 18 instead of 16. However, youths aged 16 and older should be provided the benefit of acquiring a driver's license provided they meet certain driver competencies at a young age. Allowing young drivers to acquire their driver license will help bolster the economy in a number of ways, in part by generating more revenue by licensing authorities and in part by providing young adults the independence necessary to acquire jobs at a young age.

There are several reasons the minimum driving age should be kept at 16 and not raised to 18. For a number of economic factors it is vital that young drivers are afforded the opportunity to use motor vehicles. Many youths rely on independent transportation to get to and from work (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1996). Young adults in fact make up a large portion of the current workforce. Not all young adults have access to reasonable public transportation. If those jobs remained unfilled, not only will youth's financial burden increase but the economy in general will suffer as more burden is placed on businesses trying to succeed in today's harsh economy.

Those opposed to youth licensing requirements argue that young drivers are much less safe drivers than older drivers with more experience on the road. Though a number of studies suggest that the risk of a motor vehicle crash is greater for young people, that is largely due to a lack of adequate experience driving rather than reckless driving (Williams, 1997). There is adequate evidence that suggests that requirements for driver education and proper training can help alleviate such statistics (William, 1997). Lack of experience is a factor that is just as likely to impact an older adult or elderly person as it is to affect a young driver (Williams, 1997).

Licensing agencies including the Department of Motor Vehicles rely on young drivers to generate revenue (Williams, 1996). It is also their job to ensure that young people are adequately trained to drive and that young people are able to achieve basic competence, hence be safe drivers. Inexperienced drivers need road practice in order to become more efficient at driving. New requirements that provide more in depth road training for young adults will not only generate more revenue and help boost the economy but also ensure that youths age 16 and over are able to drive safely and competently, with no more risk than any other population (Williams, 1997).

States should allow young drivers age 16 and over to acquire their licenses after they have completed an acceptable amount of driver training. Such training helps boost competence and ability at any age. If more stringent guidelines and testing mechanisms need to be put into place to facilitate this process then so be it. The more access young drivers have to licensing opportunities, the more likely they are to contribute to the economy and find jobs when necessary at an early age.