Road safety is often a topic because it is directly related to the number of fatalities and injuries caused by traffic accidents. While increasing the minimum legal age for driving motor vehicles has been touted as the optimal solution to improving road safety, there exist other measures .
Raising the minimum driving age can achieve some goals, one of which is reducing the number of inexperienced drivers. It could be argued that young drivers tend to be less familiar with , so they are more prone to being involved in safety incidents. If such a policy is introduced, the youth more time to study traffic laws before they become full-fledged drivers. In the long run, the population’s proficiency in navigating the road is likely to rise, reducing the probability of unfortunate incidents further. Given these points, it is not difficult to understand the praise for increasing the minimum driving age.
However, requiring young people to wait a few more years before being allowed to drive is overshadowed by other measures . Restricting the type of vehicles operated based on age, which is a possible course of action , can reduce traffic hazards without hampering young people’s access to motor vehicles. In Vietnam, for instance, while it is legal to drive at 16 years old, people under 18 are prohibited from operating anything more powerful than a 50cc motorcycle. Moreover, the government can require schools to introduce mandatory traffic safety courses in the curriculum. Safety lessons in civic education could work just as well, as either option addresses young people’s inexperience, a concern which has led to a need for an increased driving age in the first place.
In conclusion, while reasons exist to advocate for a higher minimum driving age, I do not believe that this policy is . To effectively tackle traffic hazards , it will be wiser to consider other options.