news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6904821.stm
Not sure whether that would make any real difference.
Having spoken with American friends, I understand that the age varies between states but 17 is the most, and 16 seems common.
What they do have that is different to the UK, are the restrictions about what hours they can drive and who they can have in the car with them. That to me seems more sensible, and more likely to be adhered to, than trying to raise the age.
There are lots of people under 18, that arguably do have a need for a car. I got by with buses at that age, but then I always lived quite close to the centre of the town/city I was in.
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Hi Steel, I'm not sure that age matters but the idea of good training and training what to do in an emergency is a good idea, in fact an imperative. For instance what to do if your accelerator jams open!
I've little personal experience of driving in America but I get the impression that standards are low. So, we're back to the quality of the education and training and the rigour of the test, not the age.
JH
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Hi Tooslow, I have no doubt that you are absolutely correct about the need for good training.
As to standards in the US, I can't really comment, but I do know that some of the American drivers I know are quite fazed by driving in the UK, especially in Greater London. Part of it, I think, is that a lot of the roads are much narrower and busier than the roads they are used to in the US (I always picture the stereotypes of open highways, or 6 lanes streets in the cities). They also seem, in equal measures, fascinated and scared of roundabouts.
I can understand why the age is lower over there because, with how spread out they are, it is very difficult to have a normal life, in many places, without your own transport.
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Increasing the driving age to 18 - Tooslow
