In today’s world driving is considered to be a right, but this is not true; it is actually a privilege. From the age of 16 on, people are given the privilege to get a license. Many people say that this age is too young and think the age for eligibility to get a license should be raised to 21 in order to keep everyone safe. Those who support the age of driving to be 16 do not agree with this statement because not all teens are bad drivers, which can be proven. The age for driving should not be raised to 21 because teens are already close to adulthood, and not all teenagers should be punished for the irresponsibility of others.

The driving age should not be raised to 21 because if a person is an adult at age 18, then they should also be given the privilege to drive. At the age of 18, individuals gain multiple privileges and responsibilities such as the right to vote, the ability to enlist in the army, the ability to open a bank account, as well as other things. If a person is given all of these privileges at 18, it would not make sense for them to not have a driver’s license as well. If 18-year-olds can do these important things, it would not make sense for the age for driving to be raised even past this. If the age was to change, then it would be more difficult for these young adults to get around. By age 18, most individuals are in college. A lack of college-aged drivers would create a need for more public transportation. Changing the driving age to 21 would not be fair, especially because adults would also lose the privilege.  

Secondly, the driving age should not be raised because not all children are as irresponsible as some may think. Many adults argue that teenagers are irresponsible and should not be allowed to drive because it can be harmful to others and themselves. People think teenagers are reckless drivers who do not follow traffic laws and put others in harm's way by drinking and driving. This is not true, though, because a lot of teenagers are not only better drivers than some adults but also can be more responsible. Adults also break traffic laws and drink while driving. It is not fair for all teenagers to be stereotyped as careless and reckless drivers. Not all young adults and teenagers are as irresponsible as others may think. It is not fair for all teenagers to be penalized for the irresponsibility of others.

One reason that many think the driving age should be raised to 21 is that children are not going to use their privileges in the right way. Many adults argue that having teenagers drive at the age of 16 is too young. The opposition’s point is considered to be invalid because people focus purely on teenagers’ inexperience. Adults may argue that teenagers are incapable of driving, but this is not true. Even though teens are young, they receive the same training and driver education as all adults. An example of this is that the same things are taught to both generations and a person cannot ever learn to drive if they do not start somewhere.

A solution to this problem is to ensure that teens pass all driving tests to get their license. By guaranteeing that teenagers are fully qualified to drive, adults can be assured that these new drivers will follow the laws and be more responsible in their driving habits. This would solve the issue because it will calm the minds of the worried adults and make sure that everyone operating a vehicle is as safe as possible while on the road. A person does not have to be 21 to drive because most are mature enough to drive at the current age of 16. At this age, one is almost an adult who can take on many other responsibilities. In conclusion, changing the driving age to 21 should not happen because not all children are as irresponsible as one may think, and because this would be after the age of 18 when one is considered to be an adult.