Should Legal Driving Age Have Stricter Limits?

Inspired by this article at www.dobbz.com I propose tighter limits on US Autmobile Licensure.

Now, although the concept of "grading" people on the road is a very good idea, I think it would present a nightmare to enforce and I cringe to think about monthly visits to the DMV to pick up my new "F" plates.

So the new system would be very simple to implement.

Driving Age Minimum = 18, Driving Age Maximum = 75

Now before everyone gets up in arms about how much their 17 yr old doesn't talk on their cell phone, or how their grandma is the Fri night Bingo driver. Here are some statistics.

First the young drivers:

• In 2005, almost 7,500 15- to- 20- year– old drivers were involved in fatal crashes.
  Go to source
• Traffic crashes occur disproportionately among newly driving young adults with one in four crash fatalities in the US involving 16- to 24-year-olds. For the 16-to 20-year age group, the crash fatality rate in 2004 was nearly twice as high as other age groups.
  Go to source
• The fatality rate for drivers aged 16 to 19 years, based on mile driven, is four times that of drivers ages 25 to 69.
  Go to source
• The crash fatality rate (crash fatalities/100,000 population) is highest for 16 to 17 year olds within the first six months after licensure – and remains high through age 24.
  Go to source
• Approximately two-thirds of teen (13- to 19-years old) passenger deaths occur when other teenagers are driving.
  Go to source
• Child passengers (under age 16 years) driven by teenage (16- to 19-year-old) drivers have three times the risk of injury in a crash than children driven by adults. Overall, 9% of child fatalities occur with a driver under age 19.
  Go to source

Next the Elderly:

Statistics, based on all people injured or killed in traffic crashes, indicate that older drivers are at a disproportionate risk for becoming involved in fatal crashes. A NHTSA study of 1995 FARS (Fatal Accident Reporting System) data reports that senior citizens accounted for:

• 5% of all people injured in traffic crashes
• 13% of all traffic fatalities
• 13% of all vehicle occupant fatalities
• 18% of all pedestrian fatalities
  

• People age 70 and older have more motor vehicle deaths per 100,000 people than other groups except people younger than 25.
• Per mile driven, drivers 75 years and older have higher rates of fatal motor vehicle crashes than drivers in other age groups except teenagers.
• Per licensed driver, fatal crash rates rise sharply at age 70 and older