Hi Gang:
 
 I had a ride with my friends teenage daughter the other day who just got her permit. She is 16. It was a scary experience to say the least.  She has to drive with Mom for x amount of hours until she gets her official license.  I love this kid, But if she is on the road anytime soon, I don't want to be in the same area. 
This situation got me thinking......


Will raising the age to 17 or 18 give a kid more experience — or less? Maybe the age at which we begin to train kids to drive should be lowered, not raised. Does it make more — or less — sense to toss a kid with zero hours behind the wheel a set of car keys at 17 or 18, when he is inches way from being legally free of any parental oversight whatsoever?

Maybe it would make more sense to begin teaching kids how to drive around 14 or 15 — easing them into it gradually, and with supervision — so that by the time they are 16 or 17 they have two or three years of experience behind them.

Driving is, after all, a skill like any other; it is not mastered overnight — or after a few weeks of classroom instruction and a couple of hours in the seat.

Anyone have any views on this? Any experience with their own children learning to drive?


                                                                   PMM

Well, I remember when we got a honda motorcycle. A neighbor also got one and at 15, I went "Night Riding" The cops hated us as we'd jump the railroad tracks and get away, though they pretty much knew where we lived.

But when it came to a car, I got my own "Trainer" who showed the ropes and how to control the car and more importantly, myself. Not always did I practice what he said, but often it helped when I was pissed at another driver.

I'd suggest triaining, but also managing anger at other drivers as of today road rage is a serious and often occurance.

I believe there's also laws now that if you're caught with alcohol and under age, you lose the chance at a license up to 21 years of age. This does help, but not always.

Still, it's also a warning to the young about drinking and driving.