Debating raising the minimum age to drive
Posted February 7, 2012 7:24 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – After a 17-year-old driver was sentenced for dangerous driving in the fatal accident and another teen driver was killed while violating conditions of his learner’s licence, News1130 is on the street asking if the legal driving age should be raised.
In the first case, a judge suggested yesterday the 17-year-old driver doesn’t have the same capacities as someone who is older. The father of the 15-year-old victim, Sanjeev Sharma, wants the driving age bumped from 16 to 19 years-old in BC.
Many drivers we are speaking with agree.
“You can’t drink until you are 19, you can’t buy cigarettes until you are 19, but you can drive when you’re 16 and a car can be pretty dangerous. It’s hard to put everyone under one blanket because there are responsible 16-year-olds and irresponsible 19-year-olds but it’s probably something for revision,” says one commuter.
“As it stands, it’s too young to be a driver, it’s not mature enough,” says another. “It would be a good idea to raise the bar. Sixteen is too young.”
In another tragic crash early Sunday morning in Maple Ridge, one of two teens killed was violating the conditions of his learner’s licence.
