Teenage Drivers

[Fuzznip]

Last year, my friend's older brother went to a late night party with his other friend. It was 3 am in the morning when they were returning home, when they went into a car accident. Both of them died.

Last year, a grade 12 student at my school was in a car with his friend. He was in the passenger seat when his friend (the driver) lost control and crashed. He died, and the driver went to jail because he had a thing that makes the car more faster, this happened on Easter Day.

The point I'm trying to make is that teenage drivers are one of the most dangerous drivers on the road, and it really angers me when I see one of them speeding or driving like maniacs.

My friend's life has changed because his brother died from leaving a party. A teacher's life at my school stopped when she heard her son (the grade 12 student) died on Easter Day.

I absolutely hate it when these kind of things happen because the driver is drunk or is trying to act "cool" by doing crazy stunts on the road, only to end up costing someone's life, and even their own life. In my opinion, teenage drivers are the most dangerous of drivers, and with the deaths I've experienced, I follow my opinion even more. Now I know not every teenage driver is dangerous, as there are some really good ones, but I feel they are most responsible. Please note that this is my opinion, not the truth.

I'd just like to know what everything thinks about this topic, and if anyone has experienced such things.

Thanks.

 

[Flamewire]

I completely agree - they're complete idiots who are just trying to impress their friends, and honestly, if they have to kill someone to do it, then that shows what their morals are. I'm sorry about your loss. I've never experienced this, but some people at my school have been affected by things like this too.

 

[Dark Talon]

It's true that a lot of teenage drivers aren't great, and that some can even be said to be dangerous due to their driving choices (drunk driving, crazy stunts, etc etc), but to generalize teenage drivers as 'the most dangerous drivers on the road' is a bit unfair. There are plenty of adults who do stupid shit in a car all the time, it's not just teenagers. In fact, being a teenage driver myself, virtually every teen I know is a good, or at least safe driver. I really don't know any teenagers who are reckless drivers, but mind you, things could certainly be different in other parts of the country.

Honestly though, I don't think that teenagers are the most reckless drivers on the road. Stories of teens dying in car accidents circulate more to prevent other teens from emulating any idiot thing they've done. There are plenty of people aged 21+ who get into car accidents every day, but there is usually not as much "interest" (for lack of a better word) as in teenage crashes.

 

[Outlaw]

They have to learn sometime. Better now than later.

 

[mf]

The responsibility of driving is a huge one and I genuinely think that the driving tests over here are incomplete to an extent - Technical ability should not be enough to grant you a license to such power. You should have to prove that you are not an irresponsible child before being allowed on the road.

 

[Vineon]

Honestly though, I don't think that teenagers are the most reckless drivers on the road.

How come? Sure it is a generalization but it is also backed up by statistics. Add in the inexperience factor.

There is a reason younger drivers pay more for their car insurance.

 

[Friar]

I was always sure I was going to be very careful behind the wheel of a car, but I also think my driver's ed teacher did a great job of making sure we understood just how wrong things can go in a car and how easy it is to avoid them. If I am driving, I make sure I am focused because both my life, other driver's lives, and possibly my passengers' lives are all in jeopardy if I drive badly. I never get into a car with people I know are bad drivers. I have refused to have a ride home from my friend's dad because he always speeds and doesnt really pay much attention to the laws of the road. So I think better education could really help teenage drivers understand how important being a good driver is.

 

[SEO]

It's true that a lot of teenage drivers aren't great, and that some can even be said to be dangerous due to their driving choices (drunk driving, crazy stunts, etc etc), but to generalize teenage drivers as 'the most dangerous drivers on the road' is a bit unfair. There are plenty of adults who do stupid shit in a car all the time, it's not just teenagers. In fact, being a teenage driver myself, virtually every teen I know is a good, or at least safe driver. I really don't know any teenagers who are reckless drivers, but mind you, things could certainly be different in other parts of the country.

Honestly though, I don't think that teenagers are the most reckless drivers on the road. Stories of teens dying in car accidents circulate more to prevent other teens from emulating any idiot thing they've done. There are plenty of people aged 21+ who get into car accidents every day, but there is usually not as much "interest" (for lack of a better word) as in teenage crashes.

I think it's pretty safe to say that they are the most reckless drivers on the road. Of course other age groups get in accidents, but simply by looking at it percentage wise (there are more adult drivers than teens) you could see that vehicular accidents happen more often to teens than to adults. This could be for a variety of reasons; lack of experience, immaturity, drunk driving, the list goes on and on.

 

[Mountain Dewgong]

It's true that a lot of teenage drivers aren't great, and that some can even be said to be dangerous due to their driving choices (drunk driving, crazy stunts, etc etc), but to generalize teenage drivers as 'the most dangerous drivers on the road' is a bit unfair. There are plenty of adults who do stupid shit in a car all the time, it's not just teenagers. In fact, being a teenage driver myself, virtually every teen I know is a good, or at least safe driver. I really don't know any teenagers who are reckless drivers, but mind you, things could certainly be different in other parts of the country.

Honestly though, I don't think that teenagers are the most reckless drivers on the road. Stories of teens dying in car accidents circulate more to prevent other teens from emulating any idiot thing they've done. There are plenty of people aged 21+ who get into car accidents every day, but there is usually not as much "interest" (for lack of a better word) as in teenage crashes.

God, at least one person has some sense. I agree completely. I'm not sure of the situation in the US but in NZ 'boy racers' is a derogatory term coined by old farts, and slapped on anyone who is young and has a flash car. It's unfair that youth are being discriminated in such a way, I mean I'm pooled in with this minority of idiots and I regularly get pulled over for being a youth even though I drive an '89 toyota corolla! Similarly to the drinking problem, the media and government jump on youths as being binge drinkers when the adults are just as bad. They need to address their own problems first.

 

[Dark Talon]

You should have to prove that you are not an irresponsible child before being allowed on the road.

I disagree with this. First of all, driving is an enormous convenience, possibly important enough to warrant driver's licenses 'necessary'. It is almost impossible to get to your job without a car, because even with public transportation like the metro and buses, you still have to get to a place where you can be picked up by either. The nearest metro to me is in a completely different city, 40 minutes away by car. The nearest bus stop is several miles from my house, and that is just a community bus so it won't take you very far. Also, could you imagine getting your groceries and going to Target without a car? You'd either have to bike there and back with a ton of packages, or call a cab every time :\. In order to be a productive member of society, you pretty much have to own a car. Denying people privileges such as a driver's license just because they are an 'irresponsible child' is probably not the best way to go about things. What do you mean by 'irresponsible child'? Do you mean 'I don't do my chores' or 'I smoke pot' irresponsible? They should do a background check and a drug test when you apply for your permit/license, and if you have a history of substance abuse, you should have to go through some sort of rehab/class/etc in order to get your license (I'm not sure whether something to this effect is already in place or not). Also, at least in my state, you have to have a learner's permit for 9 months and drive at least 45 hours (15+ after dark) before you can take a two week driving course (behind the wheel) and earn your license, which, when you get it, is given directly to your PARENTS. For the first 9 months, your parent or an adult over 21 has to be in the front seat with you, so that should help control 'crazier' teenagers. Then you are re-tested by a behind the wheel instructor, who can fail you if you do something stupid. Finally, your license isn't awarded to you, your parents receive it, so if they think you are a dangerous or unsafe driver, they can withhold it from you.

 

[mf]

What's that term for when someone takes your argument and extends it to ludicrous proportions to try and debunk it? The phrase escapes me. Either way, it applies here. Do not put words into my mouth. By 'irresponsible child' I mean anyone who would break the laws of the road intentionally for no good reason.

I live in England, there is an entirely different system here to the one(s) in the US. Here, you take your test, show your technical prowess, get your license - your parents are not involved. There are no drug tests or substance abuse checks.

The general productivity of a few idiots is not a factor when dealing with the life and death of innocent people. If you can't be responsible enough to drive safely then you shouldn't be given the privilege of driving at all.

 

[Dark Talon]

What's that term for when someone takes your argument and extends it to ludicrous proportions to try and debunk it? The phrase escapes me. Either way, it applies here. Do not put words into my mouth. By 'irresponsible child' I mean anyone who would break the laws of the road intentionally for no good reason.

I live in England, there is an entirely different system here to the one(s) in the US. Here, you take your test, show your technical prowess, get your license - your parents are not involved. There are no drug tests or substance abuse checks.

The general productivity of a few idiots is not a factor when dealing with the life and death of innocent people. If you can't be responsible enough to drive safely then you shouldn't be given the privilege of driving at all.

I wasn't putting words in your mouth, I just didn't understand what you meant by 'irresponsible child', so I asked, and then gave a counterargument for one of the possible answers.

I don't know anything about driving measures in England, and if you don't have a practical examination there, then yes, probably more people who shouldn't drive are on the road. Also, we were not talking about 'a few idiots', we were talking about teenage drivers in general, and in general, they are not irresponsible. There's always going to be some shitheads who decide to fuck around while driving, but putting a label like that on the majority of teenage drivers is not right nor accurate.

 

[Eraddd]

THe main thing that the gov.t should implement is a good teacher's recommendation, that this student is responsible enough to drive.

But it's still not fair to give the stereotype that all teens suck at driving or are dangerous. Yes, there are those who are dumbasses, and should be taken off the road, but there are those who are responsible and don't go street racing and put liquid nitrogen boosters and stuff on their cars and drink and drive lol. I know many teen drivers who drive safely and responsibly.

 

[Thisaccountwashackedlol]

I completely agree - they're complete idiots who are just trying to impress their friends, and honestly, if they have to kill someone to do it, then that shows what their morals are.

They are not intentionally trying to kill anyone. They just think that they can get away with being reckless. As they do not genuinely try to hurt others I think that it is pretty unfair to call them immoral. They are unbelievably stupid for not considering the potential consequences of their actions, but not immoral.


Also I am willing to bet that most of the accidents that teenagers are involved in are at least partially a result of alcohol consumption. I doubt teenage driving would be as big of a problem if teenagers did not have such easy access to alcohol.

 

[Thund91]

Teenage driver here. I speed, i'll admit that. I don't do stupid stunts or anything like that though.

Never got into an accident. I don't think all of us are reckless.

 

[diinbong]

I think we really need some better testing, at least here in Ontario. As an example, my brother just got his G1 simply by memorizing how far away he's supposed to park from fire hydrants, what alchohol level the adult driving with him is supposed to have, etc., but has never even driven a car in his life! I guess you're more talking about people who can drive alone but I still think this is significant.

I completely agree - they're complete idiots who are just trying to impress their friends, and honestly, if they have to kill someone to do it, then that shows what their morals are. I'm sorry about your loss. I've never experienced this, but some people at my school have been affected by things like this too.

Is this serious?

 

[Phantom_IV]

Agreed that many teenagers are reckless, but they do have to learn sometime. If we raised the driving age, then teenagers would be far more difficult to employ, and lose a competitive edge in the job market. We'd be far behind other countries if people only started working around 25-30.

 

[sanjay120]

I confess that I've done stupid stuff like asking my fifteen year old brother to take the wheel and looking out the window at my friend driving behind me.

Sometimes I forget things like that are dangerous. I'm going to be more careful now that I remember.

 

[Eifie]

Firstly, we need much stricter laws for DUI, with DUI being under the influence of any impairing drugs, including legal ones. Maybe make first time offenders serve five years prison and never be allowed to drive again, with the penalty for driving on a DUI-revoked license fifty years in prison. Impaired driving is the most easily preventable cause of death on the road.

I'd like to see a skill-based system that allows the most adept drivers to drive with less restrictions, based on a test of much higher difficulty involving suprise obstacles, time limits, tight turns and precision maneuvers. If you are labeled an "adept", you can show your license to get out of certain speeding tickets and pay less for insurance. That way people like myself with quick reaction time and skill behind the wheel aren't subject to the dumbed down driving that is designed to keep the inept drivers safe. I firmly believe that an adept doing in triple-digit speeds (in miles) is safer than someone inept doing half the speed limit, to himself and everyone else on the road.

 

[Outlaw]

Firstly, we need much stricter laws for DUI, with DUI being under the influence of any impairing drugs, including legal ones. Maybe make first time offenders serve five years prison and never be allowed to drive again, with the penalty for driving on a DUI-revoked license fifty years in prison. Impaired driving is the most easily preventable cause of death on the road.

I'd like to see a skill-based system that allows the most adept drivers to drive with less restrictions, based on a test of much higher difficulty involving suprise obstacles, time limits, tight turns and precision maneuvers. If you are labeled an "adept", you can show your license to get out of certain speeding tickets and pay less for insurance. That way people like myself with quick reaction time and skill behind the wheel aren't subject to the dumbed down driving that is designed to keep the inept drivers safe. I firmly believe that an adept doing in triple-digit speeds (in miles) is safer than someone inept doing half the speed limit, to himself and everyone else on the road.

5 years for a DUI? Thats outrageous. And as for your adept idea, I think you just wanna drive fast and get away with it.

 

[Eraddd]

5 years for a DUI? Thats outrageous. And as for your adept idea, I think you just wanna drive fast and get away with it.

Why's it outrageous. Considering our current justice system, with a 5 year, the offender would probably only settle for a year or two, with being in custody, probably reduce the sentence to around 6 months. 6 months for DUI, yes please.

 

[Nate]

I am a RECKLESS TEEN DRIVER.

I speed by a small amount frequently and an obscenely large amount occasionally. I've driven high, driven so tired I fell asleep slightly at the wheel, and driven after some drinks. I've hit 121 mph at 2 in the morning on a winding back road.

I hit a deer once, when I was going five miles below the speed limit and it jumped out in front of me. I've never hit anything else. When you're going extremely ridiculously fast, etc. you are EXTREMELY focused on the road.

This brings me to my actual point: in my personal experience distractions are FAR more dangerous than anything anybody else has listed. Your girlfriend in the passenger seat constantly whining about a fucking fly in the car until you start to swat it out? Make sure you're watching the road. Get a text message that you think absolutely can't wait until you arrive? Hope you're watching the road as you reply. Can't find anything but commercials on all the radio stations? Spilled a cup of hot coffee all over yourself? Not quite sure if you've missed a turn on those printed-out-directions? SHIT, WATCH THE ROAD. Every single one of these scenarios has happened to me. Every one has brought me far closer to an accident than any of the classic irresponsible behaviors has.

I'm not saying that driving fast, high, drunk, tired, etc are good ideas. I'm saying that they get far more publicity than the less-dramatic-yet-probably-far-more-dangerous pandemic of annoying passenger seat girlfriends.

p.s. for the record no, I don't actually drive drunk.

 

[Outlaw]

Why's it outrageous. Considering our current justice system, with a 5 year, the offender would probably only settle for a year or two, with being in custody, probably reduce the sentence to around 6 months. 6 months for DUI, yes please.

6 months for 1 DUI is absurd still. Prison record is a prison record. First time offense man, thats what warnings and tickets are for. I would agree with you if you meant multiple repeat offenders. But to have that once in a lifetime event screw you for life is horse shit.

 

[SEO]

I don't think that anyone ever said that ALL teenagers are reckless drivers. Alot of people in the thread are taking insult to being categorized into the reckless teenage driver category, but they are missing the point. No one is calling all teenagers reckless, they are saying that the majority of reckless drivers are teenagers.

(These are not real statistics, they are only here to make a point)
Lets suppose that 20% of the driving population is reckless. And of that 20%, 10% are teenagers. I am not saying 80%, 90%, or 100% of the general teenage population is reckless. Hell, 1% of teenagers could be reckless. That still doesn't change the fact that of the reckless drivers a majority of them are teenagers.
(These are not real statistics, they are only here make a point)

 

[Nate]

I don't think that anyone ever said that ALL teenagers are reckless drivers. Alot of people in the thread are taking insult to being categorized into the reckless teenage driver category, but they are missing the point. No one is calling all teenagers reckless, they are saying that the majority of reckless drivers are teenagers.

(These are not real statistics, they are only here to make a point)
Lets suppose that 20% of the driving population is reckless. And of that 20%, 10% are teenagers. I am not saying 80%, 90%, or 100% of the general teenage population is reckless. Hell, 1% of teenagers could be reckless. That still doesn't change the fact that of the reckless drivers a majority of them are teenagers.
(These are not real statistics, they are only here make a point)

They are actually awful statistics that don't even do a good job of making the point you're trying to make. With your statistics, the majority of reckless drivers are not teenagers. 10% of them are. Furthermore, if 20% of the driving population is reckless, and 10% of that are teenagers, we can then assume that 2% of the driving population is made up of reckless teenagers. It then becomes exceedingly difficult for the mere 1% of a subset (teenagers) to make up 2% of the overall set (drivers).

Perhaps what you meant to say was that teenagers have a greater than average likelihood of being reckless? I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt, and assume that is what you meant to say, but you made a factually incorrect statement twice (the majority of reckless drivers are teenagers), and then backed it up with made-up statistics that don't even support your point.

Well done.