16 year olds throughout the U.S look forward to passing their permit test on their birthday followed by getting their license 4 short months later. Unfortunately, a huge debate lately has been whether or not the age to obtain a license should be raised to 18. Although there are reasons supporting the raise in age, it would be a very bad idea for families nation wide.

Many families rely on their children getting their license so that they can drive themselves to and from sports, clubs, and other after school activities so that they don’t need to wait for a ride. Almost all high school students have parents that both work all day leaving them to either wait until they get home to be picked up, or catching a ride with a friend every day. With the thought in mind of raising the driving age, many families and teens will suffer.

By attending driving class and having to pass two tests before allowed to drive alone, teens are more than well prepared to take on the responsibility of driving. There is no obligation to get your license at this age, but there is an opportunity for those who choose to. If someone isn’t comfortable with driving alone, it is not required. However, by raising the legal age, it takes away the freedom for those who feel it would be beneficial and that they are responsible.

There are two sides to every argument, so there are pros that come with raising the age of driving. There are many fatalities that occur linked to teens driving. Many find it “cool” to speed or listen to loud music in the car with friends which causes many distractions and accidents that lead to death. According to visionlaunch.com, it could also help with “teen obesity issues” because teens use their ability to drive by going out to eat much more often that they would if they didn’t have that access.

Having a few pros to the law does not mean that it is the best option due to how crucial it is for some people to drive at 16. Waiting two years to get certified on the road will do nothing but stress out parents and limit teens to the activities that they can be involved in. No experience is gained if students are not able to get on the road until age 18. At that point, they are ready to go off to college where they most likely won’t be using cars until later years.
Throughout high school, students need to have new experiences and gain more freedom as they grow older, and having the option to get their license allows them to mature and slowly get into the “real world”. It would be unfair to those whose parents are not available as much as they need them to be and are then limited on both the weekend and during the school week. Raising the driving age is a fair proposition, but should NOT be executed.