A recent report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) focuses on the consequences of allowing drivers' licensure sooner rather than later.
Findings indicate that licensing at later ages would substantially reduce crashes involving teen drivers. The same conclusion has been reached in other countries. For instance, teens in Great Britain and most Australian states cannot obtain licenses before the age of 17. In addition, the 18-year mark represents the age at which most European teens can obtain a license to drive.
By contrast, most U.S. states permit driving at earlier ages, usually at 16. But legislation introduced during the most recent sessions of lawmakers in Delaware, Florida, and Georgia could change that. The proposal is for states to adopt 17 as the minimum age at which a teen can secure a driver's license. One bill in Massachusetts also proposed 17, while another one argued for 18. Thus far, these measures, including one that would have raised the licensing age in Illinois to 18, have been unsuccessful.
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