Most teenagers consider their driver’s license as their ticket to independence. With a driver’s license, minors are able to drive themselves around whether it’d be to school, work, or other activities. A driver’s license for a minor could also mean, tragic car accidents, night out at drinking parties with friends, vandalism, drug use, gang violence, and trespassing. The question we ask ourselves is, whether people under 18 be subjected to legal curfews or restricted driving privileges? Minors or those under the age of eighteen should be subjected to legal curfews and should have restrictions on their driving privileges.
Are our young people ready and do they have enough experience to be put behind a wheel? Are having curfews in place a good and reasonable policy? Minors are at an age where they aren’t mature enough to be let out at night, and they are not experienced enough to be driving a vehicle. Most parents believe that it is up to them whether they would allow their children to stay out late at night. After reading an article on the website regarding curfews, one police captain quoted that a vast majority of problems and criminal activity occur because parents do not supervise their children well enough and most of these kids are allowed by parents to stay out late. Even in our small territory, we see teenagers on most nights hanging out in front of stores, socializing at fast food restaurants or theaters, and just riding around in their cars. According to records provided by Public Safety, just being out late, a minor can become a victim of criminal activities.
It is known that the greatest risk of traffic crashes is among teenage drivers. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of deaths for teenagers across the United States. After doing some research on this subject, California Department of Motor Vehicles showed that the traffic accident rates for 16- to
References: 1. Berge, A. L. (2012). MINOR CURFEW. SCVSheriff.com - Home, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff 's Station. Retrieved from http://www.scvsheriff.com/about_captains_letters_curfew.asp 2. Massachusetts RMV - Statistics about Teen Drivers. (2012). Mass.gov. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/rmv/jol/accrates.htm