Skarie ACE Debate

You say that raising the driving age would cause more 18 year old's to die. But I think that it would not happen like that. Because according to the article USA Today, "When a teen is traveling 15 to 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, the part of his or her brain that processes a thrill is working brilliantly. But the part that warns of negative consequences? It's all but useless." The part of the brain that controls this would be more developed at 18. It still would not be fully developed, though. That means the longer you wait to get your license the better your brain will be developed, and the better you will drive. Therefore, the higher the driving age is, the safer the roads will be.

Another reason why I think that the driving age should be raised is because it would overall be better for parents. According to Adrienne Mandel, a Maryland state legislator "Other delegates said, 'What are you doing? You're going to make me drive my kid to the movies on Friday night for another six months?' " Mandel says. "Parents are talking about inconvenience, and I'm talking about saving lives." Why do parents worry about things like that? When in reality which is better, driving your kids around for longer? Or, having your kid die early?

You say that raising the age to 18 would just increase the death rate of 18 year old's. But I say that it wouldn't be the 16 year old's fault if they did get in a crash. The weak link of the brain, what's called "the executive branch" of the teen brain the part that weighs risks, makes judgments and controls impulsive behavior is not yet fully developed. "Scientists at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Md., have found that this vital area develops through the teenage years and isn't fully mature until age 25. One 16-year-old's brain might be more developed than another 18-year-old's, just as a younger teen might be taller than an older one. But evidence is mounting that a 16-year-old's brain is generally far less developed than those of teens just a little older. That's the part of the brain that helps look farther ahead," According to the article USA Today. This means that if you wait until they are just a little bit older, like 18, the brain can be more developed and ready to handle driving.

I think that the driving should be raised because lots of accidents happen every year. "16 year old's have more accidents per highway mile than any other age group," according to Raising Minimum Driving Age is Modest Statement said by John M. Crisp. This means that raising the driving age to 18 would maybe solve this problem of crashes.