Graduated Drivers Licensing Speech

SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To inform my audience about teenage driving risks and what can be done to prevent them.

CENTRAL IDEA: Teenagers driving are the cause of many fatalities each year and the restrictions already in existence are not doing enough to protect them.

INTRODUCTION:

I. Today I’m going to be talking about teenage driving and the risks involved.

II. More and more teenagers get behind the wheel each day with the wrong mindset toward driving

III. The government is now trying to make restrictions so teenage drivers are safer on the road and less likely to injure themselves or someone else.

BODY:

I. In 2003 nearly 7,900 teens were involved in fatal car crashes that resulted in nearly half of the teens dead.

A. 77% of accidents of 16 year olds are due to driver error

1. Researchers say that young drivers’ brains function differently while taking risks due to the hormones in their bodies.

2. Teens see their parents or other experienced drivers do things that they think they can mimic

B. Most of the crashes that are fatal involve the passengers as well.

1. risk rises sharply with each additional passenger for a young driver

2. Young drivers are easily persuaded into trying new things with others in the car

C. In 2001 41% of all teenage crashes happened at night during the hours of 9pm to 6am.

[Trans: All these things are examples of what could happen to teenage drivers and all states are trying to do is limit the risks involved with new drivers]

II. States are changing their regulations to make driving more safe for teenagers.

A. All but 4 states have some type of driving restriction as of October 2004

B. Some states believe that changing the age will make teenagers better drivers.