Driver’s Window

Alexis May Go

Arroyo High School 01 August 2020

Drivers’ Window

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in our time. Often we hear about a group of underage friends driving home after a night of partying. They are laughing and joking around when suddenly, the distracted driver accidentally drives the group into a ditch. Other times, car accidents may happen because the driver is an elder who may have health issues. As a result, they are no longer able to control the brakes or steering wheel as well as they could have when they were younger. Car accident-related deaths are prevalent among teenagers and the

elderly. I propose that there should be an age window that determines whether or not a person is fit to drive.

According to the CDC, in 2010 car accidents were the leading killer in teenagers. In addition, the AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety stated that in 2014-2015 drivers ages 16-17

have a greater crash rate than any other age group. Also, from my high school’s health class, I learned that the human brain does not stop growing until the age of 25. As the brain grows, so does the judgement of a person. However, many teenagers can now obtain a permit starting at the age of 15 and most are able to receive their driver’s license at the age of 16. The judgement of a 16-year-old is nowhere near the level of judgement that a 25-year-old has. These three pieces of information suggest that the age to be able to obtain a permit should be raised so that the driving student is older than the age of 17.

The AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety also collected information in 2014-2015 that drivers aged 80 or older were more involved in car accidents than those ages 16-17. This is because as people get older, their muscles and bones get weaker. When that happens, they lose their ability to control their movements better. In addition, AAA also reasoned that because the elderly may have medical issues such as heart disease and diabetes, it is harder for them to recover from fatal accidents. Therefore, there should be guidelines that indicate what makes an elderly driver able to drive a car by themself. If they are well past the age of 80 and have

conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, or any heart problems, they should have an able and licensed adult in the passenger seat.

Overall, teenagers and people older than 80-years-old are the age groups that are most

commonly affected by car accident deaths. Hence, there should be an age window that indicates whether or not a person is fit to drive by themself.

Works Cited “Facts & Research.” AAA Senior Driving,

seniordriving.aaa.com/resources-family-friends/conversations-about-driving/facts-research/

.

“Products – Data Briefs – Number 37 – May 2010.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Nov. 2015,

www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db37.htm.

Tefft, Brian. “Rates of Motor Vehicle Crashes, Injuries and Deaths in Relation to Driver Age, United States, 2014-2015.” AAA Foundation, 14 June 2018,

aaafoundation.org/rates-motor-vehicle-crashes-injuries-deaths-relation-driver-age-united-st ates-2014-2015/.