Should the driving age be raised? More than 5,000 teenagers die each year in car accidents. Some say they're getting behind the wheel too early.

• Author: Lund, Adrian
• Position: DEBATE

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

YES Although most teenagers don't like the idea of waiting longer to get their licenses, raising the driving age to 17 or 18 would reduce crashes involving young drivers and, in turn, save lives.

Most states allow driving at age 16, 16 1/2, or somewhere in between, although the minimum age in South Dakota is only 14 and 3 months. Only New Jersey holds off until 17. Last year, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety conducted a review of research on the subject, and it clearly indicates that an older driving age substantially reduces crash rates for young drivers.

The same conclusion has been reached in Great Britain, where the driving age is 17, and in the rest of the European Union, where most nations set the driving age at 18.

The trade-off is, of course, less mobility, but surveys of New Jersey teens show that they're just as active in school, work, and social activities as teens in surrounding states.

Research indicates that when teens begin driving at a later age, they're less likely to get into crashes during their first years on the road.

Some say more driver education is the answer. Studies, however, show no difference in crash rates for teens who take drivers ed, compared with those who don't.

In 2007, more than 4,000 teens died as occupants of passenger vehicles; 61 percent of them were in vehicles driven by other teens.

Ultimately, it's a political question: Is increased mobility worth the additional deaths? It may be a tough sell for teens, but raising the driving age makes sense.

--ADRIAN LUND

President, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

NO Traffic accidents are a big problem in the United States. In 2007, there were more than 6 million accidents on America's roads, resulting in more than 40,000 deaths. There is an entire federal, agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, devoted to reducing these...