Topic

NAME: John Student THESIS: Graduated driver’s licenses should be issued for drivers ages 16 to 18. INTRODUCTION: Statistics showing the number of deaths and injuries due to teenage driving is alarming. In fact, the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States is accidents due to teenage driving. Many of these accidents include hitting poles or driving off the road. When these accidents are investigated, often the teenager was showing off to friends. Teens are not only causing danger to themselves, but they are endangering the lives of others. Therefore, the public needs to do something to put a stop to the dangers in teen driving.

Building the Problem (2-3 subpoints):

Other ideas to stop halt teenage driving are not beneficial.

1. Raising the driving age would cause problems with transportation such as driving to school or work. This would cause them to be more dependent on parents.

2. Some suggest taking more driving educational classes would prevent accidents. Studies show the opposite. The accident rate is just as high for those who had driver’s education and those who have not.

The problem with teen age driving is not more education or raising the driving age, but teens need to have more experience behind the wheel and learn how to use more caution in driving.

1. Many teens have short attention spans and are more concerned with being “cool” than they are being safe.

2. Many drive as if playing a video game and have no fear.

3. The only way to build caution and attention is by giving teens more guidance and experience driving. Learning to be wise comes with experience.

(You can have more points under this if your topic needs them. Do be careful of adding too many ideas).

The Solution: (2-3 points)

1. Granting students a graduated license between the ages of 16 and 18 would give students more privileges as they gain more experience driving.

2. The graduated license involves three stages which include requiring an adult in the car for three months; then driving alone during the day, and after driving accident free for nine months to a year, the student would be given a regular license.

3. States that have already used this program have fewer accidents resulting from teenage driving.