Raising Driving Age

Sara Ziegler

Basic Public Speaking

November 28, 2006

Topic: Increasing the driving age to 18

Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience that making the driving age 18 is a safer requirement for young teens.

Thesis: Changing the driving age to 18 will reduce driving fatalities and accidents, make our system more efficient (similar to Germany’s laws in driving), and reduce our gas and insurance prices.

Introduction

A week before my 16th birthday after hours of begging and pleading, my mom finally took me out to practice my driving skills. I enjoyed the new experience, even though I didn’t exceed 30 mph, in the empty parking lot at my old elementary school. Unlike all of my friends, I wasn’t promised a car for my 16th birthday nor did my parents allow me to get my permit. Instead, I was forced to wait until I was “older”. By the time of my 18th birthday, I was ready to take my test for my permit. Sounds sad because I had to car-pool or bum rides off of my parents for those 2 years, but I never totaled my parents car, never had to spend all my money on gas , didn’t make their insurance sky rocket, and im still living today to give this speech. I support the choice to change the driving age because of the constant facts that I am reminded of each day.

Body

I.

Transition: Ever drove down the express way and see, 2005 fatality rate 865 in Louisville, buckle up for those you love? Imagine how many of those lives were young teens under the age of 18.

A The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Reported 3,657 drivers 15-20 were killed in 2003.

B It is also proven that 16-17 year-old are 3 times more prone to be an accident than 18 -20 year olds. That is almost 1 /3

C Inexperience, risk taking behavior and immaturity are cities as primary reasons for accidents.

D Brains aren’t fully developed until age 25 and in the weighing risks and making judgments.

II

Lets compare our system with Germany’s driving laws

Must be 18 years of age

After completed the driver education course and school you are on probation for 2 years. During those 2 years s a lesser driving violation would call for you to retake the driver education course. A more serious driving ciolation would call for your driver’s license to be revoked. In either case when your driver’s licesnce has been granted once again you will be on probation for 4 years.

The driver training corse covers almost 28 hours of classroom education followed by 35 hours of driving school on the rad to cover varying conditions of day, night and autobahn experience with an instructor.