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# Should We Raise the Legal Driving Age?
- URL: https://ivn.us/raise-legal-driving-age/
- Published: 2017-09-28T23:30:09.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-22T19:59:48.000Z
- Author: Shae Holland
- Tags: News

What is at the top of most teens to-do list? They can't wait to get behind the wheel. A teen must be 17 to join the military, 18 to vote or smoke, and 21 to drink, but can drive when much younger.

## **Minimum Driving Ages**

When can a teen legally drive? Minimum [driving ages vary from state to state](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver%27s%5Flicenses%5Fin%5Fthe%5FUnited%5FStates?ref=ivn.us). Unrestricted licenses are available in all states for 18-year-olds.

Depending on the state, your teen might be able to:

- Get a learner's permit at 14
- Drive with restrictions at 16
- Drive with an unrestricted "adult" license at 16

## **Is 16 Too Young to Drive?**

In most nations, [18 is the most commonly accepted minimum age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%5Fof%5Fcountries%5Fby%5Fminimum%5Fdriving%5Fage?ref=ivn.us#Asia) for a learner's permit or provisional license. In the U.S., the debate on whether or not the average 16-year-old should have an unrestricted license resulted in the adoption of graduated licenses. These licenses typically carry a curfew on night driving, prohibit underage passengers, and require parental supervision.

Too often, these restrictions are ignored with deadly consequences.

## **Pros of Driving at 16**

There are legitimate reasons for allowing teens to drive including:

- Getting back and forth to school, a job, and activities;
- Freeing a parent from chauffeur duties; and
- Learning about the responsibilities of paying for gas, insurance and car maintenance.

## **Cons of Driving at 16**

The reasons for allowing teens to drive primarily concern convenience. Those in favor of raising the driving age cite safety concerns.

Statistics from the [Centers for Disease Control](https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/teen%5Fdrivers/teendrivers%5Ffactsheet.html?ref=ivn.us), the [Department of Transportation](https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812278?ref=ivn.us) and the [Insurance Institute for Highway Safety](http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/teenagers/fatalityfacts/teenagers?ref=ivn.us) are revealing.

- Drivers 19 and younger have a higher risk of being in a car crash than older drivers.
- For every mile driven, teen drivers are three times more likely to be in a fatal accident.
- Male teens are twice as likely as female teens to be in a fatal car crash.
- Teen passengers increase the risk of an accident.
- Maturity matters. Drivers 16-17 years old are almost twice as likely to be in an accident as 18-19 year old drivers.

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Every parent must decide when their teen is ready to begin driving — sometimes this is earlier, and for some that comes later.

At the first sign of irresponsible behavior, strongly consider revoking driving privileges for a while. Putting up with a teen's unhappy behavior is better than getting the news that your child was killed or [seriously injured in a car crash](https://www.salinastriallaw.com/practice-area/auto-accident-attorney-san-antonio/?ref=ivn.us).

*Photo Credit: [fizkes](https://www.shutterstock.com/g/fizkes?ref=ivn.us) / [shutterstock.com](https://www.shutterstock.com/?ref=ivn.us)*