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Congress Targets Teen Driving, Mulls Federal Driver's License Standards

Hmmm... I would say adopt the system we had here in my old province of Nova Scotia which seemed to be fair enough though I think they just changed it.

You turn 16, you get a learners license, if you take a full driving instruction course you can have what's called an "N" license after 3 months, which allows you to drive whenever you want just not between the hours of 12 at night, til 6 in the morning. And then after 2 years of holding that license you can get your Full which allows you to drive obviously whenever.

The fact is, I was one of the few teenage drivers at my school who weren't reckless and dangerous drivers, most teenagers just aren't good drivers at first. I don't know if I'd support this proposal, but letting kids just go at it at 16 might not be such a good idea.
 
All fine and dandy, but Congress lacks the authority to mandate such a law since this isn't a delegated power to the federal government under the Constitution of the United States. Thus, the Tenth Amendment applies making it a states issue to regulate, which has worked quite well for as long as licenses and permits have been in existence. I predict this law will end up like REAL ID by being ignored by the state governments.

For what it's worth, I got my permit at 14 and drove for two years before getting my license at 16. I had to take driver's education in school before I got my license.
 
All fine and dandy, but Congress lacks the authority to mandate such a law since this isn't a delegated power to the federal government under the Constitution of the United States. Thus, the Tenth Amendment applies making it a states issue to regulate, which has worked quite well for as long as licenses and permits have been in existence. I predict this law will end up like REAL ID by being ignored by the state governments.

For what it's worth, I got my permit at 14 and drove for two years before getting my license at 16. I had to take driver's education in school before I got my license.

If they really want to do it, they'll just do what they did with the drinking age: make federal funds contingent on state enactment of laws that meet the federal standard.
 
Whether or not Congress decides to stick their nose in state business, it is still MY decision when my kids get to drive and in Tennessee with the treacherous backroads we have it will not be at 16!! Learner's permit for a good while and then we'll see.... :cool:
 
This is a national issue, not just a state issue. 16 year old drivers can cross the borders into other states.
 
This is a national issue, not just a state issue. 16 year old drivers can cross the borders into other states.

Yes, they can, but the only way it becomes a national issue is if they're engaged in the selling or buying goods commercially across state lines via the Commerce Clause. The last time I checked that a 16 year old cannot get a CDL. You need to be 18 or 21 depending upon the state that issues the licenses.
 
Yes, they can, but the only way it becomes a national issue is if they're engaged in the selling or buying goods commercially across state lines via the Commerce Clause. The last time I checked that a 16 year old cannot get a CDL. You need to be 18 or 21 depending upon the state that issues the licenses.

Driver's license laws vary widely from state to state. For example, only eight states and Washington, D.C., require a minimum entry age of 16, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Only 10 states require teenagers to hold a learner's permit for more than six months. Others have less stringent requirements, such as New Hampshire, which doesn't even have a mandatory period for holding a permit.

There needs to be a national standard. Or at the very least a set minimum standard. Whether these teens are carrying comercial goods is irrelevant. My point is that these inexperienced drivers can cross state borders and potentially be involved in accidents because of their inexperience.
 
There needs to be a national standard. Or at the very least a set minimum standard. Whether these teens are carrying comercial goods is irrelevant. My point is that these inexperienced drivers can cross state borders and potentially be involved in accidents because of their inexperience.

The Fed's controlling this is not the answer.
 
why not have a federal standard? what's the problem with that?
 
The Fed's controlling this is not the answer.

Not having a driving permit period is rediculous. If someone I knew was involved in an accident with a 16 year old driver who never had a pemit period, I'd be outraged.

I'm not saying the driving age should be set to 18... I absolutely think that should be a state right to decide that. But there needs to be a minimum requirement for new drivers (i.e. the permit period)


BTW why aren't more people reading this thread? This can be a big deal!
 
All fine and dandy, but Congress lacks the authority to mandate such a law since this isn't a delegated power to the federal government under the Constitution of the United States.

When was the last time that stopped them? In the end, it's correct that this is clearly a State issue and nothing more. The Federal government has no rightful juristiction in it and no rightful power to make the law.
 
There needs to be a national standard. Or at the very least a set minimum standard. Whether these teens are carrying comercial goods is irrelevant. My point is that these inexperienced drivers can cross state borders and potentially be involved in accidents because of their inexperience.

Of course they can. But that doesn't mean the federal government gets to regulate it. We can get injured by a great many things which can cross boarders; it's not all automatically in the federal jurisdiction. So while teens are inexperienced and can cause accidents, that's just part of the way it is. It's not justification for the expansion of government. It's part of life, so deal with it.
 
Honestly, I support this. In my state you can get a permit at 15 and a license at 16. This is way too young to be driving. Teenagers are for the most part, very stupid. They probably ride on mommy and daddy's gas and insurance and feel no consequence for hitting someone or getting a ticket. I support what congress is doing with this. I have no problem with federal standards either.
 
Honestly, I support this. In my state you can get a permit at 15 and a license at 16. This is way too young to be driving. Teenagers are for the most part, very stupid. They probably ride on mommy and daddy's gas and insurance and feel no consequence for hitting someone or getting a ticket. I support what congress is doing with this. I have no problem with federal standards either.

I was driving bigger ****ing **** than a car before 15. And there's a premit period, you get your permit at 15. You take drivers ed, you take the tests, if you can pass then you can pass and that's that. Make the tests more challenging if you're that damned worried about it. Otherwise, while car fatalities are one of the higher causes of deaths and grevious injury particularly for younger people, considerering the number of people and cars out there, they're a relatively low frequency.
 
Not having a driving permit period is rediculous.

Believing you have a blanket solution to a complex issue, now THAT'S ridiculous.

If someone I knew was involved in an accident with a 16 year old driver who never had a pemit period, I'd be outraged.
But if you knew someone involved in an accident with a 16 year old who had a permit period you'd be cool with it?

I'm not saying the driving age should be set to 18... I absolutely think that should be a state right to decide that.
Good, cause a lot of kids, rural areas, depend on driving to work.

But there needs to be a minimum requirement for new drivers (i.e. the permit period)

Why stop at a permit period? New drivers should have GPS Tracking, Camera's in the car.... just think of all the lives that could be saved with more Gov't CONTROL!!!

BTW why aren't more people reading this thread? This can be a big deal!
Cause most people aren't that excited by the thought of the US Gov't dictating another aspect of our lives.
 
There needs to be a national standard. Or at the very least a set minimum standard. Whether these teens are carrying comercial goods is irrelevant. My point is that these inexperienced drivers can cross state borders and potentially be involved in accidents because of their inexperience.

The federal government lacks the authority to perform such an act. Their jurisdiction is limited to government buildings, Washington DC, territories of the federal government, and military bases. Within state borders, it is the state's jurisdiction. The only way to invoke federal jurisdiction is through the Commerce clause and that is if a teen driver is engaged in the transportation of commercial goods.

When did you learn how to start driving and what procedures did you have to go through? How many accidents have you had? How many tickets for speeding and reckless endangerment/DUIs have you had?

I started driving at the age of 14 and had to drive with a licensed adult for 2 years plus go through driver's education before I could get my license at 16. I've had 4 accidents in 27 years of driving and three speeding tickets with no DUIs or reckless endangerment tickets. Obviously the way the system is designed works or there would be more people dead on the highways then there are now.
 
perhaps you could answer the question.
 
Its stupid and I am not going to waste energy on explaining the phails of this phail attempt at phail -.- (phail == fail in the language of Fail)
 
What problem would a Fed Standard solve that State's have not?

many states are for too lax in their standards. statistics PROVE that teen drivers are dangerous on the road.
 
Believing you have a blanket solution to a complex issue, now THAT'S ridiculous.

No, it wouldn't be a "blanket solution to a complex issue", and I'm not even saying this to give government "more control over our lives"... having a permit period where new drivers can learn to be comfortable on the road and experienced drivers can watch over them as they learn the ins and outs just makes sense in my mind.

Having a driving test is MUCH different than driving by oneself, let alone driving in general.
 
many states are for too lax in their standards. statistics PROVE that teen drivers are dangerous on the road.

And how would a Federal Standard make Teen Drivers better drivers?
 
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