Pros and Cons of Raising the Driving Age

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) says drivers ages 16–24 are distracted by devices at higher rates than others.¹ In fact, 7.7% of drivers in this age group were seen visibly manipulating handheld devices while driving in 2023—the highest since the NHTSA started tracking the trend in 2005. This pattern raises serious concerns about safety behind the wheel and strengthens some data-based arguments for raising the minimum driving age.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the rate of fatal crashes per mile driven is nearly three times higher for teens aged 16 to 19 than it is for drivers over the age of 20. Raising the driving age to 18 could help lower the overall rate of fatal crashes—especially considering that younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes. The CDC reports that drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 are more likely to be distracted behind the wheel than older drivers. Nearly 1 in 10 of these younger drivers were distracted at the time of a crash.²

Removing the option to drive could cause more teens to walk, ride bikes, or use other active options to get places. This could cut back on teenage obesity levels by providing more opportunities for exercise.

Emotional maturity increases as we age, and it's thought that 18-year-olds are more likely to make smart decisions without giving in to peer pressure than 16-year-olds. The ability to resist distractions—especially device-related ones—could be stronger in older teens, reducing risky behaviors like texting or scrolling while driving.

Here are two common arguments in favor of keeping things the same.

Teens may not be as physically active as they should be, but they're definitely busy. School, extracurricular activities, jobs, and social events usually require some form of transportation.

If teens can't drive themselves, the responsibility for transportation often falls to their parents—who may not have the time or ability—or to public transit, which may not be readily available. And with most American cities built with drivers in mind, walking or biking long distances may be neither practical nor safe.

All in all, fewer transportation options could limit the opportunities kids have for personal growth at a critical age.

The argument here is that the higher crash rates for 16- and 17-year-olds may simply be because they are new to driving and lack experience. Delaying the start of driving may delay that learning and shift the crash rates more toward the 18- and 19-year-olds.

NHTSA also recommends enabling a "Driver Mode" on smartphones—similar to "Airplane Mode"—and keeping phones out of sight and out of reach to reduce temptation. A little tech and a lot of guidance can go a long way in keeping teen drivers safe.

• How Do I Talk To My Teen About Driver Responsibility and Safety?
• What Are the Dangers of Texting and Driving?
• 5 Tips to Make You Safer on the Road
• Winter Driving Safety Tips
• Car Safety—Frequently Asked Questions

1. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), "Driver Electronic Device Use in 2023." November 2024. Accessed March 26, 2025. 
2. CDC, "Distracted Driving Risk Factors." April 2024. Accessed March 26, 2025.